Supporting Teen Parents: A Q&A with the Young Families Committee of NOAPPP

Many professionals who work with youth have adolescent parents within their clientele yet don't have the demand to create special programs for these youth. Information regarding ways to assist teen parents in the normal course of the day, without developing a teen parent program, is difficult to find. Questions about supporting teen parents were asked by a variety of professionals who work with youth, including school counselors and teachers, county prevention coordinators, and professionals who work with homeless youth and victims of domestic violence. Their questions are answered by members of the Young Families Committee of NOAPPP, who represent a diverse professional background, including doctors, nurses and teen parent program directors.

Questions answered include how to work with youth at drop-in centers, how to support teen parents who temporarily or permanently lose custody of their children due to abuse or neglect, barriers adolescent mothers experience in leaving abusive relationships, and what avenues to explore for reaching teen parents.