Child Trends' Review of Second Chance Homes Finds Promising Practices and Calls for Rigorous Evaluation

Parenting at any age is challenging, but teen mothers face additional hurdles - poverty, limited education, unstable living arrangements - that place them and their children at risk of poor outcomes.  For example, teen mothers are less likely to finish high school, and their children, on average, are less likely to complete high school, and have poorer health ratings than do children born to older mothers. 

Child Trends examined Second Chance Homes, an approach that offers shelter and services for adolescent mothers and their children, including parenting support and educational and vocational assistance. This review, Second Chance Homes: A Resource for Teen Mothers, describes this model, including its diverse private and public funding mix, and highlights some positive aspects for participants and their children.  The review also notes the lack of rigorous evaluations of the program to date and argues that such evaluations could help build the evidence base for the practices and programs that seem to be working in the Second Chance Homes program.

"Many young mothers want to become - and can become - better parents if they have the necessary supports," lead author Kristine Andrews said.  "We were encouraged to see that appropriate supports and services can help address the challenges often faced by teen mothers."

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