Young families in poverty

Characteristics

•Abusive/neglectful home situations•Substance abuse •Mental illness•Trauma

Structural barriers

•Access to basic resources (food, clothing, health care, etc)

•Child care•Transportation•Rental history•Credit history

Barriers to staying housed

•Inconsistent family and community support

•Insufficient interpersonal/problem solving skills

•Adolescent behavior•Violence as a norm•Poverty

▫Incomplete education▫Low-wage jobs▫No safety net

How many families need housing?

Parents in Highschool•Difficult to accurately track this population

•Minneapolis Public Schools has the TAPP program

Longfellow: 96 students with 86 childrenRoosevelt: 31 students with 22 childrenSouth: 14 students with 9 childrenNorth: 5 students with 9 children Henry & Edison: 35 studentsTotal: 181 students (April 2012)

What already exists?• YouthLink

▫4 apartments in south Minneapolis▫TLP program with subsidies

• Jeremiah Program▫18 and over. Enrolled in post-secondary education.

• Spirit Valley Young Mother’s Supportive Housing Program in Duluth (YWCA)▫Ages 16-21. Seven efficiency apartments, rent

based on income.▫Childcare on-site, supportive family services,

educational requirement.

St. Anne’s Place Young Family Aftercare Program•Community case management

▫Families 21 and under▫Up to 2 years

•Weekly peer support group•Connection to resources•Advocacy

Best practices for working with young families•Flexible, quality schooling•Case management & family support

services•Prenatal care & reproductive health

services•Quality child care linked to preventive

health care•Parenting and life skills education &

support services•Father involvement services and supports

http://teenwise.org/Documents/apn/WorkingWithTeenParents.pdf

Questions?