Effects of a High School-Based Child Care Center

In the United States about one million teenagers become pregnant each year and, of these, almost one-half will give birth and become mothers. Maternal factors that have been linked with better overall outcomes for adolescent mothers include social and family support, completion of high school, and limiting subsequent childbearing during adolescence.

Many of the problems associated with adolescent parenting can be diminished by social support and school-based programs that provide counseling, health care, health teaching, and education about child development to young parents. One critical institution where many of these issues are being addressed is the child care center within the high school. However, little is known about the specific outcomes for both the adolescent mother and child enrolled in such programs. This article examines specific outcomes for adolescent parents and children enrolled in an urban high school-based child care program.