Re Assembling The Pregnant And Parenting Teenager

This book offers a re/assemblage of what is, can be and should be known about teenage pregnancy and parenting in the twenty-first century. It examines the narratives of young men and women in the USA, the UK, Aotearoa New Zealand and Ireland, all sites of elevated concern around what is often articulated as the 'problem' of teenage parenting.

Written for teenage parents who are struggling with their own identities while coping with the responsibilities of parenthood.

The writings in this anthology have been selected to introduce readers to the broadest possible spectrum of viewpoints on teen pregnancy and parenting. A question-and-response format prompts readers to examine complex issues from multiple angles. Debated topics include whether teenage pregnancy is a problem, whether it causes negative consequences for all involved, whether it helps struggling teens to succeed, the role of sexual abuse, and the efficacy of sex education programs.

Abstract: This book presents the findings, conclusions, and recommendations of the Committee on Child Development Research and Public Policy within the National Research Council. The panel examined research and existing programs which address the areas of adolescent sexuality, pregnancy, and childbearing with the intent of making recommendations for policy making, program design, program evaluation, and research. The panel's report is presented in chapters addressing the following topics: trends in adolescent sexuality and fertility, society and changing roles of adolescents, determinants of sexual behavior, effects of adolescent childbearing, interventions, and priorities for data collection, research, policies, and programs. An accompanying volume contains the working papers on which the report was based. The working papers address three broad areas, which are: 1) influences on early sexual and fertility behavior, 2) consequences of early sexual and fertility behavior, and 3) programs and policies related to teen pregnancy and sexuality.

Whether glamorised or stigmatised, teenage parenthood is all too often used to stand for a host of social problems, and empirical research results ignored. Identifying core controversies surrounding teen pregnancy and parenting, this book resolves misperceptions using findings from large-scale, longitudinal, and qualitative research studies from the US and other Western countries. Summarising the evidence and integrating it with a systems perspective, the authors explore ten prevalent myths about teenage parents, including: Teen pregnancy is associated with other behavior problems. Children of teen parents will experience cognitive delay, adjustment problems, and will themselves become teen parents. Better outcomes are achieved when teen mothers live with their own mothers. Teen pregnancy costs tax payers lots of money. Abstinence education is the best way to prevent teen pregnancy. Teen Pregnancy and Parenting ends by highlighting the prevention and intervention implications for families, practitioners, and policymakers. It will be of interest to academics and advanced students from a range of disciplines and professions including psychology, public policy, nursing, social work and sociology.

Around 1 in 10 children born in the UK are fathered by men under the age of 25. These men are often from socially disadvantaged areas and frequently overlooked in both research and practice settings. Using findings from a major Economic and Social Research Council study, supplemented with additional data, the authors focus on the transitions of the young men into early parenthood and their unfolding lives thereafter. As negative popular and media discourse around young fathers begins to shift, policy makers, practitioners, researchers and students will find future policy and practice directions designed to nurture the potential of these young men and their children.