Family Advocates’ Perspectives on the Early Academic Success of Children Born to Low‐Income Adolescent Mothers*

Abstract

Qualitative analyses were conducted to examine family factors related to individual differences in the early school success of children born to low‐income adolescent mothers from the perspective of paraprofessional family advocates. These families were participants in a 5‐year family support program. Achievement test scores and teacher ratings were used to identify the most successful and least successful students in first grade. Interviews with the advocates about the life experiences of children in each of these groups revealed differences between them in the areas of caregiving practices, maternal characteristics, child characteristics, and contextual sources of stress and support. Given that family service providers are rarely used as informants in this way, the possible strengths and limitations of this approach are discussed.