As previously emphasized, teen parents are faced with a variety of challenges and special needs. As they deal with issues of their own development as adolescents, they are parents
who must also be sensitive to and address the needs of their child(ren). Clearly, to effectively meet these challenges, teen parents need information and ongoing support. Yet,
providing support for teen parents is frequently interpreted by the general public as encouragement of teens to become parents. As the number of teen parents continues to rise, and
as child abuse continues to be a major issue in this country, steps must be taken to help break the cycle and to support the positive development of teen parents and their child(ren).
Important factors to address related to this issue are (1) informing the general public, decision-makers, and teen parents about the benefits of teen parenting programs; (2)
correcting misinformation about the purpose of teen parenting programs; and (3) encouraging teen parents to participate in parenting programs. Outreach efforts to convey these
messages should be conducted on various levels including mass media (television, radio, newspapers, magazines, etc.), technology (web pages), related conferences and special
events (local, state and national levels), program open houses, and visits with local decision-makers. Teen parents' participation in this process should be greatly encouraged.
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