Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
ABC News
ABC News
Health

Investigation launched after 12-year-old girl gives birth in Perth hospital

Records show a dozen 12-year-old girls have given birth in WA since 1980.

Police in Western Australia say they are working closely with the family of a 12-year-old girl who has given birth in a Perth hospital.

The girl is reported to have given birth to her baby earlier this month.

The case has prompted a coordinated response from a range of authorities.

WA Police said they were aware of the incident and were working with the families involved and the Department of Communities.

In a statement, the department said it would not comment on an individual case in order to protect the privacy of children and families.

"If there are concerns that a child may have been sexually abused or is likely to be sexually abused, Communities undertakes a thorough assessment of the situation," the statement said.

"Where necessary, the matter will be referred to the WA Police for further investigation and referrals so appropriate supports are provided.

"A coordinated response is required from a range of State Government and external support agencies both in the short and long term in order to make a lasting difference to the wellbeing of all affected parties."

Health Department statistics show that a dozen 12-year-old girls have given birth in Western Australia since 1980.

It is the youngest registered age of a mother in WA.

Six girls aged under 13 have given birth in the state in the past three years.

The total number of births to teenage mothers in WA has fallen steadily from 1,342 in 2012 to 655 last year, although the Health Department said the 2018 figure was incomplete.

The percentage of births to teen mums has dropped from a high of 8.25 per cent in 1980 to just under 2 per cent last year.

Anglicare WA, which runs a support program for at-risk young parents, would not comment on this latest case but director of services Philippa Boldy said extra help for young parents was crucial.

"Many of those young people, developmentally, are still developing into adulthood themselves," she said.

"So there's often a parallel set of needs going on there, one for the young parent emerging into adulthood, and the needs of the children, and the bond between adult and child.

"They might need support with understanding what it means to be a good parent, understanding attachment and developmental stages for children.

"But equally they may be requiring support to stabilise their housing, to understand finances and in some cases maybe even what it means to live independently."

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.