Child Life and Developmental Services - Adolescent Parenting Program

Children of Bellevue Child Life specialists were among the first in the US to recognize the special needs of urban teenage parents. Since 1977 we have recruited teens into parenting groups for adolescent mothers, fathers and their babies. From the first pre-natal visit, the adolescents meet an interdisciplinary team of staff, many of whom will continue to be their health care providers until they are 19 years of age. Our parenting groups are aimed at strengthening the parent-infant relationship and enhancing the child's overall growth and development. The space is set up to promote enjoyable safe play and interaction. Individual and group discussions cover a variety of topics including balancing the tasks of parenthood and adolescence, adjusting to parenthood, infant and toddler development, cultural differences and practices, birth control, sexuality and domestic violence.

Developmental screenings are done every six months and referrals made if necessary for early intervention services. Photographs are taken every week, and are given to parents to take home. Our photographer works with the parents to make portraits they find pleasing and which reflect a positive image of themselves and their family.

We secured a grant in 2003 from the Tiger Foundation to extend our Video Interaction Project to the adolescent parenting groups. Thus parents are now videotaped interacting with their babies, and given toys and learning materials and developmental pamphlets. In addition, we have adapted the original VIP protocol to include the Ounce Scale Family Albums, used with parents to record observations, photos and mementos of the child’s growth and development.

In the words of one participant, the goal of the group is to “help us in the time of need while we’re still developing with our children.” Another group member said “In group you can be yourself and talk about your problems knowing that you will be understood and maybe helped.” We measure our success in our high attendance rates, our low rate of child abuse and low rate of unwanted second pregnancies, and in parent feedback such as the above.

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