Teens: Adults under construction

Early Head Start is a federal program that supports pregnant women and very young children from low-income families. Early Head Start assists pregnant women in obtaining prenatal care and other services and strengthens the development of infants and toddlers from birth to three years old. Two percent of the pregnant women and/or young mothers receiving services through Early Head Start are teenagers. Understanding the unique developmental characteristics of the teenage years, and building on the realities of their beliefs, are essential first steps in designing effective programming. When these very young parents do not receive the support they need, another generation of lonely, hurting, and confused children grow up and often perpetuate the cycle by becoming teen parents themselves. Early Head Start programs work with child care and social service agencies to ensure that babies receive the nurturing they need as well as their young parents. EHS programs build strong collaboration bonds in the communities they serve and advocate for social service agencies to better understand the special needs of teen parents. This presentation will highlight strategies developed by the Region VII Head Start Technical Assistance System (for use in Early Head Start programs throughout Missouri, Kansas, Iowa & Nebraska) to support teen parents. The session will also review lessons learned from Early Head Start programs in Region VII, including intervention strategies that have proven successful, and feedback from staff and participants of Early Head Start. ________________________________________