At Southwestern High School in Baltimore City, 25 percent of the students are pregnant or parents. Studies show that teen mothers are more likely to have subsequent births if they drop out of high school and that parenting teens are three times more likely to be poor or on public assistance. To assist these "hard to reach" students meet the challenges of parenting and school, Southwestern established a high school-based family center. School staff, administration, and community health nursing students from the University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON) work with the school's parents and parents-to-be on academic studies, parenting, job skills, and health care.
The focus to incorporate community outreach as well as in-school training and assistance. The program involves in-home intervention with parents of infants and toddlers, developmental assessments, and safety home checks. The program mixes academics with a variety of parent and life-training skills development. Proof of the program's success is seen in escalating graduation rates: In 1999, 68% of Southwestern' senior class graduated. In comparison, 78% of the seniors in the Family Center program graduated. In 2000, 100% (13 seniors) in the program graduated.
Learning Objectives: Learning Objectives At the conclusion of the session, the participant in this session will be able to: 1. Identify approaches that could be used in working with pregnant adolescents. 2. Discuss trends in adolescent pregnancy and births in the United States. 3. Assess reasons that may affect teenagers becoming pregnant. 4. Construct nursing interventions that may contribute to the prevention of adolescent pregnancy.
Keywords: Child/Adolescent, Reproductive Health
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: University of Maryland, Baltimore
Southwestern High School, Baltimore
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.