A comprehensive guide to working with teen parents and their children that provides practical program ideas for successful school and public library program development, implementation, and evaluation. Teen parents and their children represent an underserved, high-need population in many communities. Libraries have the potential to significantly influence the quality of life for teen parent families by providing free access to information and resources, developing specific programs, and serving as a safe, public learning environment. Serving Teen Parents: From Literacy to Life Skills helps library staff support teen parents as their children's first teachers, positively affecting two generations at once. The authors explain how to successfully communicate with this group and build upon their competencies and strengths. They offer best practices, professional anecdotes, and step-by-step direction on connecting with teen parents, collaborating with community partners, locating funding options, and implementing successful programs. This invaluable guide is the most comprehensive resource currently available that directly addresses the needs of librarians serving the teen-parent demographic.

The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 presents states with new opportunities and flexibility to design programs for teen parents. This report summarizes how welfare reform has changed the environment for teen parents dependent on welfare. The report presents research findings on the costs of supporting teen parents and the benefits of delaying childbirth, and summarizes the provisions of the new legislation that relate directly to teen parents and state services for this population. The report then presents the components of a comprehensive policy for teen parents based on recommendations of researchers, state program administrators, direct service providers, and policymakers who met in 1996 to discuss the impact of the new welfare legislation on teen parents. The role of state governors in developing an effective and comprehensive teen parent policy is also explored. The report's four appendices include summaries of findings from evaluations of teen parent programs, acknowledgment of state experimentation in serving teen parents, a listing of the participants in the policymaking meeting, and a listing of information resources. (JPB)

A review of how states are serving teen parents in the Job Opportunities and Basic Skills Training (JOBS) program. Focuses on the extent to which states have enrolled young mothers (ages 16-19) receiving AFDC in JOBS and helped them to complete their education; the approaches states have used to serve teen parents in JOBS; and barriers to teen parents successfully completing their education while in JOBS. Charts and tables.

When a teenager becomes pregnant, what are her options? If she decides to keep the baby, what kind of life will the baby have? What will the mother's life be like? And what about teenage fathers? This book talks about many of these issues and tells the story of some teen parent families. The people in this book are very aware of the difficulties involved in being a teen-parent family. They know how hard it can be. But they can also tell you the ways their situation have made them stronger, what they have learned, and what you can learn from them.

A hearing was held on education, training, and service programs that serve disadvantaged teens. Testimony was presented on recent research findings concerning these programs and on their implementation. The major lessons learned from the Summer Training and Employment (STEP) program were presented, including those of implementation and impact. A second topic was a discussion of the effectiveness of three programs serving teenage mothers on welfare: New Chance (for mothers who have dropped out of school); Learning, Earning, and Parenting (LEAP), an Ohio program for teen parents; and Demonstrations of Innovative Approaches to Reduce Welfare Dependency among Teen Parents. A third topic was the discussion of the work provisions of the Family Support Act of 1988. The following witnesses addressed the hearing: (1) Milton J. Little, Manpower Demonstration Research Corp.; (2) Deanna Phelps, Maryland Department of Human Resources; (3) Alan M. Hershey, Mathematica Policy Research, Inc.; (4) Kevin W. Concannon, Oregon Department of Human Resources; and (5) Michael A. Bailin and Frances Vilella-Velez, Public/Private Ventures. Three submissions for the record are included. (SLD)

Working with at-risk teens, including those who are homeless, incarcerated, or in foster care, is a rewarding but often challenging endeavor, especially with a growing number of at-risk teens in both urban and rural areas of the country. Based on best practices and personal experiences from many leaders in the field today, including authors Angela Craig and Chantell L. McDowell, this book shows how libraries and communities can work together to find new ways to serve this population. Packed with accessible and affordable programming ideas, ready-to-use templates, and techniques, this addition to the Teens @ the Library series Demonstrates why serving at-risk teens is important, and offers advice for gaining institutional support for outreach services Shows how to understand the needs of at-risk teens, including a discussion of the factors that place teens at risk Examines diversity within the at-risk population Suggests ways to partner with youth facilities, with real-world examples of working with non-library personnel and caregivers Provides guidance for collection and resource development Gives examples of technology-based programs to promote literacy and connectedness