Florence Crittenton Services of Colorado and the National Crittenton Foundation Support and Educate Teen Mothers

Mar 21, 2011 by Michelle LaBorde

My mom, Ruth, turned 16 on September 14, 1963.  Two weeks later… she gave birth to me. There were many things about being pregnant so young that were challenging for my parents including being ostracized by their church, their community, and their friends. But for my mother it was particularly painful to be expelled from school. “That was one of the hardest parts,” she said. “I wanted to stay in school.”

Times have changed but staying in school is still an issue for teen mothers. Thankfully, organizations like Florence Crittenton Services of Colorado (FCSC) provide access to education, childcare, career readiness, early childhood education, parenting classes, as well as health and wellness instruction to encourage teen mothers to finish their education. This kind of holistic support is critical to breaking a cycle of poverty that goes hand in hand with teen pregnancy.  Here are the facts according to the March of Dimes:

Teen mothers are more likely to drop out of high school than girls who delay childbearing. Only 40 percent of teenagers who have children before age 18 go on to graduate from high school, compared to 75 percent of teens from similar social and economic backgrounds who do not give birth until ages 20 or 21.

With her education cut short, a teenage mother may lack job skills, making it hard for her to find and keep a job. A teenage mother may become financially dependent on her family or on public assistance. Teen mothers are more likely to live in poverty than women who delay childbearing, and more than 75 percent of all unmarried teen mothers go on welfare within 5 years of the birth of their first child.

About 64 percent of children born to an unmarried teenage high-school dropout live in poverty, compared to 7 percent of children born to women over age 20 who are married and high school graduates. A child born to a teenage mother is 50 percent more likely to repeat a grade in school and is more likely to perform poorly on standardized tests and drop out before finishing high school.

The FCSC helps teen mothers overcome these disturbing odds. It is one of 27 members of the National Crittenton Foundation (NCF), all working to help under-served and marginalized girls and young women. Their mission is to “support empowerment, self-sufficiency, and the end of cycles of destructive behaviors for girls, young women and their families who live at the margin of the American dream.”

Clearly, moving beyond the margin is more possible when young mothers stay in school. The centerpiece of the array of programs offered by FCSC is the Florence Crittenton School in Denver, which serves approximately 280 students per year.  In partnership with Denver Public Schools, the Florence Crittenton School provides rigorous academics along with childcare, so teen mothers don’t have to choose between taking care of their babies or going to class. Providing safe childcare means more girls graduate – their goal is to have 100 percent of their students graduate and move on to college or vocational school.  In 2010, the FCSC launched the Family Engagement Center to further empower students but also to engage young fathers and extended family. The center offers counseling, GED instruction, legal clinics, and nutrition, cooking and relationship classes. Compassionate, comprehensive programs like these put teen families on a path to leading healthy, productive lives.

My mom did eventually get her GED and later on her nursing degree. But back when she was 16, would she have welcomed support from programs like the Florence Crittenton School so she could stay in school? “Oh yes,” she says.

To find out more about the National Crittenton Foundation go to:
www.thenationalcrittentonfoundation.org

To find out more about the Florence Crittenton School in Denver, Colorado go to:
www.flocritco.org

If you’d like to help, cash and donations of diapers, car seats and strollers are always needed and much appreciated.

The 10th Annual National Day to Prevent Teen Pregnancy is May 4, 2011.

Visit the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unwanted Pregnancies to find out more.
www.thenationalcampaign.org