Adolescent Mothers of Handicapped Children: A Challenge for Interventionists

Abstract

As programs serving families with at-risk and handicapped children become more family-focused in their approach, they must consider the unique needs of different groups of parents. This paper discusses adolescent parents and the provision of services to families with young parents and children with special needs. Stages of adolescence, parenting behaviors, and issues of support are presented as examples from research and clinical literature that have implication both for family needs and the provision of services to these families. It is emphasized that a family focus for individually determined priorities is an appropriate model and that case management skills are probably needed to serve these families best.