Counselor Fact Sheet

Providing Positive Support to Pregnant and Parenting Teens:

What School Counselors Can Do to Support Educational Success

Pregnant and parenting teens face many barriers in attending and succeeding in school.  School counselors are in an ideal position to support the health and wellbeing of pregnant and parenting teens and contribute to their lifelong success by linking them to resources and advocating for policies and practices that promote high school graduation. Schools counselors can provide assistance by supporting academic success, planning for the long-term future and participating/leading multidisciplinary teams that plan and support accommodations for pregnant and parenting students.

Develop a supportive relationship with pregnant and parenting teen

• Be someone to talk to.  Teens needs safe places to talk without judgment.
• Encourage postpartum teen to return to school
• Promote school involvement/engagement (teens who are less likely to have a repeat pregnancy and engage in risky behaviors)

Collaborate with student, family and school staff

• To support academic success of student before and after pregnancy.
• To monitor educational progress, including grades, test scores, class participation, homework completion and perception of support and connectedness with teachers and administrators.
•  To assist them in getting needed support such as tutoring, study skills training and peer homework groups.
• To arrange field trips to career and technical programs, college campuses and workplaces.

Support academic success and identify postsecondary opportunities

• Ensure Next Step Plan is current, including education and career plan.
• Offer assistance in developing a career technical education program (i.e. school career cluster classes, career pathway courses, dual credit classes, industry certification, etc).
• Discuss options to further education after high school, including career/technical schools, colleges/universities and military.
• Discuss course alignment to postsecondary programs.
• Increase awareness of non-traditional careers which often have greater financial rewards.
• Link students to mentoring, internships, job shadowing, employment training opportunities.

Increase awareness of the available services offered at school, the school-based health center and in the community for teen parents and their children

• School-based health centers
• Prenatal care and family planning services
• Primary health care, mental health and substance abuse services
• Case management and family support services
•  Teen parent support groups  and young father programs
• Quality and affordable child care
• Parenting and life skills education, including early childhood programs like home visiting
• Transportation, housing and economic assistance