Single Mothers Taking On Personal Responsibility

The philosophy that the Federal government currently upholds for teenage mothers is to promote values of abstinence, education, and paternity identification. Many services for single mothers on the Federal level have been curtailed or delegated to local agencies however; private organizations have also stepped in to fill the gap.

Childcare

Although Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) is still available, the requirement that a teenage mother complete high school or live at home in a supervised setting means that childcare and housing must be available for the teenage mother. Either she must work to pay for childcare, or she must find programs that help her to get assistance in this area. If her family is not supporting her then housing and childcare both need to be met and become her first priority.

Housing

The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has programs to establish Second Chance housing for teenage mothers. These are usually delegated to local housing authorities such as apartment complexes or designated communities. Included in the services for young mothers, among the many other services, HUD offers:

• Adult supervision to ensure single mothers focus on commitments


• Parenting classes to strengthen their child rearing skills


• Access to childcare and health services to ease financial burdens


• Available transportation to support employment


• Mentoring to help them in making wise decisions


• Education and job training to promote advancement in the workforce

The need for a myriad of services for young single mothers as they face the challenge of parenthood while finishing their educations is immense. These steps point them in the right direction but still require maturity on their part.

Mentoring

Other local agencies may offer mentoring or foster grandparents to help young mothers learn valuable parenting skills or to provide daycare while the mother is in school. Teenage mothers have often not matured themselves and they have to learn how to become responsible for another human being. The mentoring program services for young single mothers provide emotional support while passing on skills in infant care and decreasing the chance of child abuse as the child matures.

The Public School System

Some schools, recognizing the need of services for young single moms, have on-site childcare programs. Some even allow the mother to bring the child to class with them, but these are few and far between. In addition, a teenage mother may feel the stigma of being an unwed mother and refuse to continue her education. However, there are local services that do try to provide a support system and services for young single mothers to help them overcome their inhibitions and adjust to their new roles.

Other local agencies that can provide services beyond shelter and childcare are local hospital and clinics. They often have special prenatal and postpartum programs for young single mothers. The local branch of the Health and Human Services office also can pinpoint more resources. For example, agencies such as Women, Infant, & Children (WIC) can provide nutritional support for infants and their mothers.

The Message

The key to moving forward is to take personal responsibility for your own life. Anything you can dream, develop a realistic plan for and stay the course until you see results can be the basis for change in life. You will find that opportunities will begin to seek you out as you work towards your goal. But first there's maturity, second responsibility to yourself, your child and the people who extend a hand to help you. And most important remember that no one owes you anything. But when you exhibit the characteristics mentioned above you will become the person you choose to be.