The Ministry of Social Development has produced a new resource called ‘Supporting Teen Fathers’ aimed at those working with young dads. It was developed in consultation with local researchers and practitioners, including Father & Child. The resource covers conceptualisation of a service through to delivery and evaluation. Order from MSD, ph (04) 916 3300, or contact Father & Child.

Teen dads are probably the first fathers to ever be mentioned in a New Zealand budget. The government set aside $750,000 over four years to re-train the service sector to better include teen fathers in existing services for teen ‘parents’.

This is part of about $15 million in funding for teen parents over the next four years, which includes an increase in directly funded ‘teen parent service coordinator’ positions.

Other social initiatives include a ring-fenced family and community services fund, and a fund to make the social sector more efficient and work together better.

Christchurch Father & Child support worker Jonathan Young said that he knows of ‘a lot of 15 and 16-year-old parents that are a hell of a lot better than 40-year old parents’ in today’s Press, which features one of Father & Child’s supported teen dads, Jordan Cairns, on the cover. Jordan himself said he had ‘no regrets’ about becoming a dad so young. (more…)

Father & Child and Waipuna Trusts in Christchurch are trialing a couples version of ante-natal and early parenting classes for teen parents.
Teen parents are notoriously missing from the otherwise well-attended and free birth preparation classes run by hospitals and other providers such as Parents Centres. Waipuna has received feedback from young mums that they feel uncomfortable amongst the older parents.
Waipuna is setting up some antenatal classes for teen mums, but is also keen to explore an approach that encourages cooperation between young mums and dads. Teenage dads are not targeted by any teenage ‘parent’ service provider in New Zealand despite research showing their keenness to be involved.
A trial group has been run in March, attended by both expecting couples and couples with a young baby.
Both Waipuna and Father & Child acknowledge that teenage relationships are volatile, however separation should not lead to permanent exclusion of the father from the baby’s life.