The rise in teen births in the late 1980s generated public concern and initiatives to reduce teen births. While most of the early programs focused on the mothers, the role of fathers has received increasing emphasis. Fatherlessness is believed to be associated with negative child outcomes including poverty, domestic violence, and poor health. Maryland implemented Responsible Choices, a home visitation program based in family support centers that is designed to increase father involvement. The purpose of this paper is to provide interim report data.
This study relies on data extracted from client records and a relational database maintained by the family support centers. To date, 95 mothers and babies have been studied. The majority of the mothers (76%) are between 16 and 19 and there was generally not a large difference in the ages between the mother and father. Only one couple married and more than a third of the mothers are no longer involved with the father. The program objectives included reduction in second births, increase in employment, reduction in need for temporary cash assistance, and increase the involvement of both parents in child rearing. While Responsible Choices emphasized father involvement, many of the fathers were not involved with the mother at the time of birth and the remaining were difficult to engage. Changes in the program included expansion of male involvement coordinator responsibilities.
Learning Objectives: at the conclusion of the session, the participant in this session will be able to 1. Identify the outcome of home visitation program to improve male involvement in teen pregnancy 2.Discuss preliminary findings from study 3. Discuss the issue of teen pregnancy and male involvement
Keywords: Teen Pregnancy, Partner Involvement
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
Disclosure not received
Relationship: Not Received.