Supporting parents as their children’s first and most important teachers

LoveTalkPlay.orgELC Webinar on Teen Parents 7.11.12

Who Is Joining Us?

Jill Johnson – Inland NW Janalee Ensley – SELF Susan Prudente – SE WA ELC Mary Ellen Braks – Inland NW Stacie Marez – Investing in

Children Harla Tumbleson – SOAR Tanya Andrews – First 5 Molly O’Connor – Thrive Holly Wyrwich – Thrive Garrison Kurtz - Dovetailing

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THOUGHTS Official start January 2013,

possible action before – some funding available

SOAR and Inland NW – will receive additional resources for work

Other coalitions interested in teen parent engagement will draw funds from regular Community Momentum grants, which begin Jan. 2013

Early Fall – school connections

Why Teen Parents?

Some ELCs already engaging teen parents Teen parents are found throughout the state in

every kind of community Few parenting materials and messages are

specifically designed for teen parents Teen parents are brutally honest about what works

for them … and what doesn’t! Opportunity to have an impact on two generations Could help infuse a different kind of energy in the

campaign

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Timeline

2012 May – Choose primary coalitions July – Teen Parent Engagement Webinar Sept – 1st Family Engagement Cmte Mtg Fall - Community Momentum RFP released

2013 Teen Parent Engagement officially begins

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The Current Situation: What do you already know about teen

parents in your region? (Demographics, behaviors)?

LoveTalkPlay.org

Yakima – high incidence of teen pregnancy

King – highest birth rate in Latino community, though leveled off in other communities

King – Community practices – marriage and child-bearing happen earlier

Tacoma – Pierce County rates are slightly lower, except Native American, which is higher than Latino birth rates

Spokane – Birth rate has gone down a bit. Lower ethnic diversity than some parts of the state

Spokane – Anecdotal discussions have not highlighted why

Teen moms tend to stay connected to schools – until/unless second child comes

We could use a better understanding about motivations (intentional pregnancy, plans for marriage, etc.) and effect of the economy on birth rates

Impact of online education availability might interfere with mom access to services through schools

King – Education (and supportive child care) and housing were expressed as the top needs of Latino students

Walla Walla – Some success with teen father engagement

King – Pleasantly surprised at number of dads that show up

The Current Situation: Which agencies and orgs. (state and local) already connect with teen parents in your

region?

LoveTalkPlay.org

GRADS Young Lives Hospital based home visiting

programs Health Dept (Yakima) Parents as Teachers WIC King County – Community health

clinics King County – Interagency program

(School district) King County – Housing Spokane – Catholic charities, school

districts Pierce – 2 high schools with

programs for teen parents Pierce – Children’s museum All – Play & Learn groups/community

centers Child Care Aware (local and state) State-level - Division of Child Support

Clark – GRADS Clark – Unless dads are high school

involved, women protect older fathers due to laws regarding that

Walla Walla – Children’s Home Society

Walla Walla – Community College All – DSHS All – WithinReach- service referral All – WashingtonTeenHelp.org All – Parent Trust of WA (Hope

Line, LTP 1-800 number) All – Community

Cafes/Strengthening Families Spokane – Shelters/ Crosswalk All – YWCAs King – Orion Center & transitional

housing Spokane – Library story times (?) All – Early Head Start

Barriers

Transportation Similar demographics/welcoming feeling (e.g. community

cafes) Teen-interest focused Libraries often do not have teen-focused programs Lack of peer parent support opportunities

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The Current Situation: Is a particular segment of your teen parent population more vulnerable?

LoveTalkPlay.org

Latino Native American Yakima – Isolated communities

(rural, indian nations) Yakima – Gang-involved King – Mono-lingual teen parents are

still not uncommon, though more are bi-lingual

King – Newer immigrant and refugees

King – African-American teen parents whose outcomes are often poorer

Out-of-school Those lacking a social and financial

support network – education and jobs not happening – vulnerable, but responding

Spokane – Half of kids do not have family support

? – Moms of children with drug-addicted fathers

? – Foster-placed teens ? – Court-involved teens

The Current Situation: What have you already done to engage

teen parents?

LoveTalkPlay.org

Clark – We have not really started to engage teen parents as yet

Walla Walla – Alternative high school (8-12 M and F participants), with Love.Talk.Play./ Literacy-focused credit-bearing class taught by a Masters-Level teacher

Spokane, Snohomish, Yakima, King Walla Walla – Young Lives – gather teen moms with free child care and dinner + activities to a parent peer group in community locations

Spokane – 3 different SDs (East, West Valley, Spokane), LTP based activities in Play and Learn groups

Spokane – Catholic Charities Play & Learn

King – Young parents’ network (300-400 members)

King – Good connections with early intervention providers and birth to three programs

King – Faith community connections

Pierce – In learning mode at the Children’s Museum

Pierce – Gig Harbor and Tacoma alternative schools

The Current Situation: What are the most important gaps in

getting quality parenting information to teen parents?

LoveTalkPlay.org

Walla Walla – Daily text – ParentHelp123

Communication mode – technology Lack of places for positive parenting

modeling that are not intimidating (e.g. all other participants are parents in their 30s)

Teen parent peer support Past teen parent mentors Activities and information that are

appealing to dads Create more compassion and

respect among older-aged parents to support teen parents in their parenting role (Young Life model)

What’s Doable?

LoveTalkPlay.org

GOALS STRATEGIES/ACTIVITIES SUCCESS INDICATORSSPO/KING – More consistent duplication of effective outreach to teen parents/

SPO - Handbook for reaching and connecting to teens completedKING – Build a network of people working with teen parentsKING – Create gathering opportunities

SPO – X% of teen parent service providers use the handbook to frame/develop services

SPO- # of regular contacts/ repeat visits increase

SPO –urban and rural services are consistently available and customized

LTP materials are used to frame services

Teen parents find materials and activities to be beneficial

WW- Create a community in which consistent guidance and support can be provided

WW – Develop curriculum for 10-12 week class

KING – Parenting education and support professionals would have a better understanding of what is available and how to improve/extend services for teens

CLARK – Services for teens are enhanced and connected

CLARK - Teen parents regularly and increasingly participate

Teens report that their knowledge, skills and confidence have increased as a result of participating

What’s Doable?

LoveTalkPlay.org

GOALS STRATEGIES/ACTIVITIES SUCCESS INDICATORS

CLARK – Services for teens are enhanced and connected

CLARK -

CLARK – We have better ways to reach and engage teens

WW – Support teen parents who are close to receiving their high school diploma

MULTI – Create positive peer mentoring (e.g. Young Lives) communities in all LTP teen parent support communities

Increase relevance of materials and actions to teen parents

Family Engagement Committee

Through their knowledge, expertise and connections, the Family Engagement Committee will help the LTP campaign connect to a population of harder to reach families, so that they have the confidence, information and skills needed to give their children a great start in life.

GUIDING PRINCIPLE Targeted Universalism – inclusive of the needs of both the dominant and marginal groups, but pays

attention to the situation of the marginal group

OBJECTIVES Help ensure campaign reaches state’s most vulnerable families

ROLE Serve as a sounding board for the regional early learning coalitions that are focusing on teen

parents Share knowledge and facilitate connections, so that existing resources and programs are

maximized Explore creative ways to reach families that are NOT connected to supports and services

MEMBERS Chosen based on their access to resources, networks and key programs that work with teen

parents

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What Does the FEC Look Like? What do you think the value of the FEC is to the committee’s non-ELC participants?

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Other FEC Members DOH DSHS DEL HS/ECEAP 24/7 Dads – CHS Teen parents Seattle Public Library OPEP GRADS Young Lives

Value of the FEC to Members Inspiration Ability to identify local challenges related to state-

goals Promote dialog about how services should/could be

designed Collaborative discussion body/table Connection to local organizations that are the

implementers Greater understanding of “the whole” and clarity of

how I/my organization can help Data and on-the-ground examples

What Does the FEC Look Like? How do you hope your work with teen

parents will benefit from the FEC?

LoveTalkPlay.org

KING/CLARK/PIERCE – Better understanding of best practices/ assess our individual progress

KING – Test our new ideas KING/PIERCE – Access

expertise of committee members

CLARK – Build on existing efforts/approaches

SPOKANE – Building relationships with statewide organizations that can support what we are doing

SPOKANE – Develop shared understanding among players

WW – use credibility of FEC to bolster our work

Wrap-Up

Do we need another call/meeting before the RFP meeting (8/16-21)– Would like a write-up from today– Would like the “focus areas” and allowable use of funds to be identified– Would like the opportunity for input to the RFP allowable uses and focus areas

What can Thrive and you do/provide between now and the first FEC meeting that will be helpful?– Write-up from today– Revised Family Engagement Committee Description– Draft Strategic Foci

How did today’s conversation go?– Worth the time– Allowed more/ancillary people to participate– Eliminated travel– Discussion was rich– State perspective and broader vision

LoveTalkPlay.org