Pregnant Teen Delivers Baby Boy And 9 Months Later They’re Going To The Same School

Apr 13, 2019 by apost team

Sadly, many teenage girls are often forced to drop out of high school due to an unexpected pregnancy. According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, only 40% of teen moms ever graduate high school. 

This can have life-long negative consequences for both parent and child. Among other things, high school dropouts earn a lot less money on average.

But, thanks to a partnership between Denver Public Schools and Florence Crittenton Services, one program in the Mile High City is making a real difference. They educate teen moms and also provide daycare and early education for their kids. In this program, they see graduation rates for participating young moms of around 80 percent.

The support can start before the baby is even born. As told by CBS Denver, then Sixteen-year-old Julie Morales and her nine-month-old son, Liam, are both participants. Julie says they helped her get into parenting classes before Liam arrived to help her make this important transition.

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Florence Crittenton is one of the oldest nonprofits in the city. Their willingness to care for the kids in the same building makes it vastly easier on both mother and child. Kids can be as young as six weeks and up to pre-K age.

Being so close by means moms can drop in to check on the kid periodically so they aren't separated the entire day. This can help both of them emotionally and psychologically. It can also be a logistical godsend, preventing minor issues from snowballing into more serious problems.

The program provides incredible support, including assigning an advocate to help the girls access and coordinate services. However, it's still no picnic. Many of them get up as early as 4:30 a.m. in order to take a combination of light rail and buses, then walk the final three blocks, to get there on time every morning with their child in tow.

No, it isn't easy. But they do it out of a burning desire to create a better future for both themselves and their child.

The program is sensitive to the needs of young moms. They have added a financial literacy program that is available to the program participants, as well as their parents and their partners. Helping the extended family succeed is good policy for helping the girls and their children.

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