Supporting Pregnant and Parenting Youth

4TH ANNUAL SYMPOSIUM PRESENTED BY POINT SOURCE YOUTH

SUPPORTING PREGNANT + PARENTING YOUTH Selima Morrow, CHRIS180 Shakeyla O'Cain, 3rd Street Youth Kay Jackson, Point Source Youth

During pregnancy, vulnerable youth require specific and evolving support as they become parents to prevent experiences with homelessness or housing instability. Youth who are parenting face unique challenges in access to care, stable and private housing, and wrap around case management. Learn more about how to best support youth who are pregnant or parenting.

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ACTIONS TO TAKE

DO NOT JUDGE AND JUST BE HUMANISTIC. DON’T JUDGE A BOOK BY ITS COVER… WE SHOULD JUST SERVE PEOPLE WITH EMPATHY AND BE SENSITIVE TO PEOPLE’S NEEDS. PEOPLE COME TO US FOR SERVICES--WE NEED TO PROVIDE THE BEST SERVICES POSSIBLE AND BUILD A RELATIONSHIP FROM THAT POINT. - SELIMA MORROW, CHRIS180 KEY TAKEAWAYS Creating networks and peer-to-peer networking is a critical way that youth who are pregnant or parenting are sharing information and critical resources--even before COVID-19.

There needs to be better provider cohesion and greater communication within the system itself to better serve youth who are pregnant or parenting; the system is too disconnected and oftentimes challenging to navigate, which is often at the detriment of young people.

Providers need to ask young people who are pregnant or parenting what they need and how they want to receive services. This isn’t done enough.

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1. Ask young people who are pregnant or parenting what they need and how they want to receive it. Don’t assume you know what they want or need.

2. Take advantage of texting and other technologies that young people prefer in order to meet them where they are and provide services more effectively.

3. Be willing to listen. It’s ok to be uncomfortable.

4. Don’t overpromise; make sure to help young people who are pregnant or parenting create a network of support so that if things don’t work out, they’re not in a dangerous situation.

5. Make sure you are also taking care of yourself and managing your own self-care.

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Q+A

What are the biggest challenges pregnant and parenting youth experiencing housing instability face, especially during COVID-19?

It’s definitely hard now because people aren’t in physical offices [because of COVID-19]. Where do you go and who do you talk to? Some young people have the wherewithal where they can go to an agency; but some young people may not even know where to go for help. There’s also the challenge of transportation. You may know an agency is open, but how do you get there? Because of COVID, our transportation system is cut 20%. How can we get the right resources at the right time to get what young people need?

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Q+A CONTINUED What can funders and government do better to make sure that single youth who become parents can stay seamlessly served in continuum of care?

There needs to be more focus on the demographic--youth who are pregnant and parenting or a family. They need focus. Youth shouldn’t be grouped in with all parents, because you need guidance. Young people need a mentor, someone to talk to-someone to share issues with.

You need those things, and they don’t provide those things.

What does holistic care look like for pregnant and parenting youth?

Providers need to be willing to listen. Having a line of communication between a case manager and a young person is so important. Providers should practice being ok with being uncomfortable. Help build a support system for that young person so they don’t feel overwhelmed in the process if things don’t go exactly as planned for that young person.

WE CAN’T SPEAK FOR YOUNG ADULTS. WE SHOULD TAKE TIME TO HEAR WHAT THEY HAVE TO SAY. – SELIMA MORROW

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You can find this webinar at pointsourceyouth.org