New parents who also happen to be teenagers face an array of challenges that set their parenting experiences apart. According to Kelly Land, Transitional Program Manager at the Redmond-based nonprofit Friends of Youth, "taking on familial responsibility means [that they are] missing out on some aspects of their teen years. While developmentally teens are still exploring their own identities, as parents they have to be available to their children."

Several Puget Sound organizations offer programs that teach teens about parenthood. Land's program, for example, focuses on teens who were homeless when they became pregnant. Moms from this population are often dealing with multiple issues in addition to parenting, including physical and emotional abuse, poverty, drug use and homelessness. "Sometimes that responsibility [of parenting] saves their lives," Land says.

Heather Halseth of Puyallup, who gave birth to a daughter when she was 16 and her boyfriend Jay was 18, agrees. "Having Kayla gave Jay and me a desire to better ourselves, to not live like our parents lived," she says.

Education is a key component of teens being able to develop parenting skills and gaining access to family-wage jobs, experts agree. Without a high school diploma or GED, teen parents are less likely to become self-supporting. A good education also means that teens are more likely to read parenting books and also to read with their children.

Barriers to finishing high school include child-care availability, access to transportation and school hours that begin before babies wake up. Feelings of not fitting in can also cause teens to drop out. In addition, teen parents don't always understand the positive impact that education will have on future earnings. "I carry articles with statistics about income differences to motivate my clients to stay in school," says Carla Granat, Teen Parent Counselor at Seattle-based Amara Parenting and Adoption.

A variety of programs focus on helping teen parents continue their education. Tacoma's Oakland High School is home to a suite of teen-parent support services, including an Early Head Start program, a teen-parenting class in school and on-site child care. Early Head Start serves low-income families with children from ages birth to 3 and strongly encourages parents to finish school.

Four of the City of Seattle's family-support centers provide teen-parenting programs. Sherice Arnold, parent support specialist at the Rainier Beach Family Support Center, provides case management for teen parents and facilitates a teen-parent support group. She also teaches a parenting class at alternative school South Lake High School, which provides on-site child care.

Not all high schools have teen-parenting courses or on-site child care, and "waiting for a child-care subsidy authorization can cause educational interruptions," according to Amara's Granat.

Teen parents can best access services when they are school-based, since typical teen developmental issues -- combined with lack of resources -- create barriers. According to Granat, "transportation, the ability to attend with their children and follow-through because of their age can all be challenges."

Making home visits to teen moms is also a valuable strategy for delivering parenting support. Healthy Start, provided by a consortium of nonprofits, sends family support specialists to participants' homes to educate, support and connect moms with community resources and connects teen parents with each other through fun group activities. Healthy Start uses a curriculum based in brain research to educate parents about child development and parenting strategies. The Best Beginnings program of Public Health: Seattle and King County provides home visits from nurses.

Housing is another major issue. Most teen moms live with their parents or the parents of their children's fathers out of necessity, whether that environment is supportive or not. "They get in arguments with their parents and get kicked out," says Arnold of the Rainier Beach Family Support Center.

That experience was echoed by Halseth. "My dad came home drunk, screaming and kicked us out in the middle of the night. We stayed with Jay's mom for a short time, but she wanted to tell me how to raise my daughter, and she wouldn't let us childproof the house. We were young and we didn't know healthy boundaries or have the skills to negotiate the situation."

Transitional housing programs with supportive services on site are a critical part of the safety net for teen parent families. Friends of Youth operates transitional living facilities in Seattle, Bothell and Redmond. However, those options are scarce. "Trying to find transitional housing resources when they are needed is a challenge," Arnold says. "As far as I know, there are no emergency shelter beds in King County for teen moms with babies," Land adds.

While the challenges are significant, Granat stresses that teen parenting is not all negative. "They have a certain level of energy that helps," she notes. "Not knowing all the ramifications of having a child also provides them some resiliency."

Halseth agrees. "Having Kayla was the best thing for me. My life is blessed because I have this child."

Colleen Laing is a public policy consultant and freelance business writer living in Seattle with her husband and preschool-age daughter.

Teen parenting resources

King County

• Seattle Family Centers that have teen parent programs:
  Rainier Beach Family Support Center 206-723-1301
  Southwest Family Support Center 206-937-7680
  Family Works 206-694-6727
  North Seattle Family Center 206-364-7930
• Children's Home Society of Washington
  Multi-service center with various teen-parent programs
  206-695-3200 (north King County)
  253-854-0700 (south King County)
• Teen Parent Home
  206-322-8918
  Seattle
• Next Generation
  Home visitors provide information on parenting skills and healthy early childhood development to teen parents and make referrals to link teens with community services.
  206-325-3192
  Central and south Seattle, Skyway, Highline and Burien
• Friends of Youth
  Healthy Start program
  Home-visiting family support specialists educate, support and connect young first-time moms with community resource. The program uses the Born to Learn curriculum, which is based on recent brain research to strengthen babies' development and parent-child bonding.
  425-392-6367 or 425-869-6658
  North and east King County and south Snohomish County
• AMARA Parenting and Adoption (formerly Medina Children's Services)
  Teen Parent Program
  Parent education, counseling and support
  206-260-1700
  King County
• Seattle/King County Public Health Department
  Best Beginnings Nurse/Family Partnership program
  Nurse home-visiting program for first-time young mothers (under 21) and their families that offers connections to community resources
  206-296-4600
  Renton, Kent and Auburn
• Renton Area Youth and Family Services
  Multi-service agency with teen parent services
  (425) 271-5600 x827
  Renton

Pierce County

• Early Head Start
  Participating families are engaged in child development, nutrition, health care, family support, group social activities, parenting education and transportation.
  253-926-6815
  Tacoma, Bethel, Clover Park and Peninsula school districts
• First Place for Children
  Provides high-quality child care at Tacoma's Oakland High School in conjunction with the Early Head Start program.
  253-383-6013
  Tacoma
• Tacoma School District
  GRADS teen parenting curriculum
  A high school course for pregnant and parenting teens with information on healthy pregnancies, child growth and development, and parenting strategies
  253-571-1000
• Children's Home Society
  Multi-service center with several programs for teen parents
  253-472-3355
• Tahoma Family Center
  Multi-service agency with teen-parent services
  253-502-2695
  Tacoma
• Eastside Family Support Center
  Multi-service agency with teen-parent services
  253-627-7368
  Tacoma
• Faith Homes' Jump Start Program
  Two-year supportive housing program for homeless young women who are pregnant and/or parents.
  253-572-0458

Tacoma

• Good Samaritan Hospital
  Teen Parent Resource Center
  Clothing bank for all ages of children, baby food bank, maternity case management, and classes and workshops for teen parents
  253-435-3910

Puyallup

• Family Birth Center
  Teen Birthing Classes
  253-697-5300
  Puyallup
  Snohomish County
• Deaconess Children's Services
  Teen Parent Advocacy
  The only long-term case-management program for pregnant and parenting teens in Snohomish County, the program provides information and support, relationship-building skills, family planning advice, referrals to community resources, and adult mentors
  425-259-0146
  Everett
• Friends of Youth
  Healthy Start program
  Home-visiting family support specialists educate, support and connect young first-time moms with community resource. The program uses the Born to Learn curriculum, which is based on recent brain research to strengthen babies' development and parent-child bonding.
  425-392-6367 or 425-869-6658