pccyfs 2012 annual spring conference best practices for working with dependent teenage mothers...

PCCYFS 2012 Annual Spring Conference

Best Practices for Best Practices for Working with Dependent Working with Dependent

Teenage MothersTeenage Mothers

Presented By:Natalie Bilynsky

Cherenne PeoplesNorthern Home for Children

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Introductions

• Description of Generations I and Generations II

– Population

– Service Description

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Learning Objectives

• Understand the challenges associated with working with dependent teen mothers

• Understand the need for a holistic approach in programming

• Understand the benefits of coordinating services

• Understand the impact that logistical issues can have on services

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Challenges Faced By Teen Mothers

• Adolescence• Attachment• Trauma• Behavioral health challenges• Academic challenges• Lack of supports /

relationships

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Adolescence

• Developmental stages

• (Erik Erikson)

• Brief review of the impact of motherhood on the developmental stages

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Developmental Stages

• Infancy - Trust vs. Mistrust• Early Childhood – Autonomy vs. Shame• Preschool – Initiative vs. Guilt• School Age – industry vs. Inferiority• Adolescence – Identity vs. Role

Confusion• Young Adulthood – Intimacy vs.

Isolation• Middle Adulthood – Generativity vs.

Stagnation• Maturity – Ego Integrity vs. Despair

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Attachment

• Types of Attachment– Secure– Insecure

• Anxious ambivalent• Anxious avoidant• Disorganized

• Impact on Teenage development• Impact on Parenting

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Trauma

• Impact of trauma on adolescent development

• Impact of trauma on motherhood

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Behavioral Health History

• Diagnostic history

• Treatment history

• Family behavioral health history

• Medication History

• Receptiveness to services

• Ability to connect with therapist

• Therapeutic Relationship

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Academic Challenges

Stressors

Missed school

Poor performance

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Lack of support

Father’s family

Father

Other Supports

School community

Neighborhood

Community group

Religious group

Extended family

Family

Young Mother

Youngmother

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Role play

• Taking a holistic approach

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Best Practices (Center For Assessment And Policy Development)

• Flexible quality schooling• Case management and family

support services• Prenatal and reproductive health• Quality child care• Parenting and life skills support• Father Involvement

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School

• What are the educational options?

• Factors to consider in deciding upon options:– History of truancy– Learning Disorder– Academic Level– Age

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Case management

• Leader of the team• Characteristics of a Successful

Case Manager• Characteristics that we have

found to be not effective for Case Managers working with teen mothers

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Reproductive Health• Importance of

reproductive health• Importance of health

services for mother• Importance of health

services for baby/child

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Quality Childcare

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Parenting and life skills support• Clear assessment of life skills

needed• System for development of life-skills

that is not judgmental• Often teens are resistant to

parenting and life skills support

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Father involvement

• How?

• What if the relationship is full of conflict? Or abusive?

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Additional elements

• These are program characteristics that are not noted by the Center for Assessment and Policy Development, that we believe are characteristics of best practice:

• Including Behavioral health• Taking a Holistic approach• Being Strength based/Resiliency

focused

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Behavioral Health

• Outpatient Therapy– Pre-natal and Post-natal

Depression– Connecting with Outpatient

Therapist– Group Therapy– Strategies for developing

therapeutic rapport

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Holistic approach

•

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Strength Based ~ Resiliency Focused

• All of the world is full of suffering; it is also full of overcoming it. -Helen Keller

• History, despite its wrenching pain, Cannot be unlived, and if faced with courage, Need not be lived again.

-Maya Angelou

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Contact Information

• Natalie Bilynsky– Northern Home for Children– 215-482-1423 ex 1272– nbilynsky@northernhome.org

• Cherenne Peoples– Northern Home for Children– 215-482-1423 ex 1286– cpeoples@northernhome.org