The Editor, Sir:

Having parental responsibility means that you have the right to make decisions about your child's life in areas such as medical treatment and education.

But, it also means that you have the responsibility to support your child financially, at least until the end of a secondary education.

When a parent is unemployed, it not only reduces the standard of living, but it can be detrimental and discordant to the child's future.

More expensive

Fees are going up in excess of inflation and are becoming progressively more expensive. Most persons cannot afford to pay school fees out of earned income, so how can it be afforded out of no income at all?

The issue of unemployment and pregnancy is of interest for several reasons. Since it is a marker of socio-economic status, a potential marker of stress and an indicator of poor physical and mental health, unemployed persons usually require more general health services and have more physical and mental health tribulations than their employed counterparts.

It makes absolutely no sense to have a child with both persons being unemployed.

I am, etc.,

LERON MATTISON

leronmattison@yahoo.com