Caring for Pregnant and Parenting Youth Tools to Support Pregnant and Parenting Youth in Care

Welcome! Today we will cover: Supporting Pregnant and Parenting Youth in your home Utilizing the Pregnant and Parenting Teen Guidebook and Tip Sheets Partnering with the child welfare team Health and Safety Visits Shared Planning Meetings Identifying community resources and needed services

https://thenationalcampaign.org/resource/crucial-connection# A Crucial Connection: Working Together to Address Teen Pregnancy Among Youth in Foster Care www.thenationalcampaign.org https://thenationalcampaign.org/resource/crucial-connection#

What were your initial thoughts about the video we just watched What were your initial thoughts about the video we just watched? Have you ever had a parenting father in your home? What about a pregnant or parenting mother? Did you see any examples of how Caregivers could support pregnant and parenting youth in care? Discussion:

Pregnant and Parenting Youth in the System Teen parents are disproportionately represented in the child welfare system The children of teen parents are disproportionately represented in the child welfare system Aparicio, E., Pecukonis, E. V., & O'Neale, S. (2015). "The love that I was missing": Exploring the lived experience of motherhood among teen mothers in foster care.Children and Youth Services Review, 51, 44-54. Retrieved from http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2015.02.002

Risk Factors Youth in care identified these factors as putting them at risk for early pregnancy: Low self-esteem as a result of the stigma associated with being in foster care A lack of guidance, making it easier to succumb to peer pressure (3) Lack of consistent relationships with trusting adults (4) A history of abuse and neglect (5) Lack of opportunity during adolescence to experience “normal” and “healthy” intimate and social relationships (6) Wanting someone to love Concern about birth control From Help Me Succeed: A Guide for Supporting Youth in Foster Care to Prevent Teen Pregnancy, By The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy:

Aimee’s Scenario 1: Areas to Address Work in table groups Based on the scenario, what are the areas to address? How can you support Aimee? Report Back to larger group Discussion:

Shared Planning Meetings Must occur within 10 days of the youth’s disclosure of pregnancy to: Identify needed services Identify how the youth will be supported to make healthy decisions Discuss Tribal enrollment if applicable Distribute the Guidebook & Tip Sheets

It’s important for youth to: Shared Planning Meetings It’s important for youth to: Engage in services: Medical Educational Parenting Social/Emotional Mental Health Chemical Dependency Build positive connections with: Peers Mentors Develop: Healthy Relationships Increase: Resiliency & capacity to overcome adversity

Shared Planning Meetings What role does the caregiver play at a Shared Planning Meeting? Report Back to larger group Discussion:

Pregnant Youth The Crucial Issues for Attention: Health and Safety Visits Shared Planning Meeting Pregnancy services Referrals to community resources The needs of the unborn child after the 28th week of pregnancy Placement options Education and ILP needs Fatherhood Engagement

Parenting Youth The Crucial Issues for Attention: Health and Safety Visits Accessing medical services The youth’s role as a parent Referrals to community resources Education and ILP needs Fatherhood Engagement Tribal Enrollment if applicable Infant Safety Policy

Accessing Needed Services Independent Living Community Mental Health/Infant Mental Health Safe Babies Safe Moms Medical Care, TANF & WIC Early Head Start Nurse Family Partnership Parents as Teachers Circle of Security Incredible Years Triple P NCAST Assessment Safe Sleep Period of Purple Crying ASQ developmental assessment

Infant Safety The Crucial Issues for Attention: Newborn: Plan of Safe Care 0-6 Months: Period of Purple Crying 0-12 Months: Infant Safe Sleep

Infant Safe Sleep

Infant Safe Sleep

The Period of Purple Crying https://vimeo.com/110534768

The Importance of Connections Health Care Education Social Services Teen parents who receive support from caregivers are more likely to participate in crucial parenting services Lachance, C. R., Barrus, B. B., & Scott, A. R. (2012). Building an evidence base to inform interventions for pregnant and parenting adolescents: A call for rigorous evaluation. American Journal of Public Health, 102(10), 1826-1832. http://www.adoptuskids.org/news-and-announcements/in-the-news/story?k=fostering-teen-parents

Aimee’s Scenario 2: Rules and Roles Work in pairs Based on the scenario, come up with ideas about rules and roles in your household Report Back to larger group Discussion:

What Caregivers Need to Know Receiving the Supplemental Rate Parenting the Youth while coaching the youth to parent Supports and Services available for the Caregiver Navigating potential conflicts Using the Caregiver Tip Sheet

Tools to Support Pregnant and Parenting Youth in Care

Questions: Discussion: Review the tool kit for questions and answers around: -Child Custody -Parenting -Supports and Services -Responsibilities Choose a question from each section for group discussion Discussion:

Supporting Youth Discussion: How can Caregivers help parenting youth? Are there specific ways Caregivers can help parenting fathers? Generate a list of ideas as a large group Discussion:

Did you walk away with: An understanding of the rights, duties and responsibilities of youth, caregivers and workers? Ideas for setting clear rules and roles in your home? Ideas about appropriate services and supports? Knowledge of when and how you should participate in Shared Planning Meetings and Health and Safety Visits? A toolkit with resources? Knowledge of appropriate safety expectations?

Closure & Evaluations Any Questions? Thank you! Please take a moment to complete the course evaluation.