Breaking the Stigma and Changing the Narrative - Strategies for Supporting Expectant and Parenting Youth Involved in Systems of Care

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Mia

Expectant and parenting youth involved in systems of care represent a distinct developmental intersection across adolescence, emerging adulthood, and parenthood, often while connected to child welfare, juvenile justice, and other human services. Addressing these concurrent roles and developmental needs is critical to improve health, well-being, and long-term life outcomes for both young parents and their children. The report reviews research on stigma, critiques existing evidence, and proposes four stigma-reduction strategies to strengthen outcomes.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages17

Reading Time43 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Background and Purpose

Overview of the Five-Part Series

Data and Context

A Picture of Expectant and Parenting Youth

Birth Rates

Child Welfare and Juvenile Justice Involvement

Breaking the Stigma and Changing the Narrative: Strategies for Supporting Expectant and Parenting Youth Involved in Systems of Care Abstract Expectant and parenting youth involved in systems of care represent a unique intersection of developmental needs as adolescents, emerging adults, parents, and young people who come into contact with child welfare, juvenile justice, and/or other human services systems. Addressing these parallel roles and respective developmental needs is necessary to improve the health, well-being, and life outcomes of both young parents and their children. But expectant and parenting youth experience numerous challenges navigating their transition to adulthood and parenthood, including negative perceptions, expectations, and judgments about them as young parents. This report will provide an overview and critique of research findings about expectant and parenting youth and the stigma associated with young parenthood. It will also discuss four strategies to break the stigmatization of expectant and parenting youth, and thereby increase the likelihood of improved outcomes for young parents and their children. The strategies are: reframing the causes and outcomes of adolescent pregnancy and parenting, amplifying young parents’ voices and positive outcomes, supporting dual transitions to adulthood and parenthood, and building young parents’ protective factors. This report is one in a five-part series about improving outcomes for youth involved in systems of care. The titles in the series are: 1. Promoting the Well-Being of Black, Native, Latinx, and Asian Youth Involved in Systems of Care 2. Protective Factors for Youth Involved in Systems of Care 3. Shifting the Perception and Treatment of Black, Native, and Latinx Youth in Systems of Care 4. The Systemic Neglect of Children, Youth, and Families of Color: Distinguishing Poverty Experienced by Families from Neglect 5. Breaking the Stigma and Changing the Narrative: Strategies for Supporting Expectant and Parenting Youth Involved in Systems of Care Breaking the Stigma and Changing the Narrative: Strategies for Supporting Expectant and Parenting Youth Involved in Systems of Care Expectant and parenting youth involved in systems of care represent a unique intersection of developmental needs as adolescents, emerging adults, parents, and young people who come into contact with child welfare, juvenile justice, and/or other human services systems. Addressing these parallel roles and respective developmental needs is necessary to improve the health, well-being, and life outcomes of both young parents and their children. But expectant and parenting youth experience numerous challenges navigating their transition to adulthood and parenthood, including negative perceptions , expectations , and judgments about them as young parents. This report will (a) provide an overview and critique of research findings about expectant and parenting youth and the stigma associated with young parenthood , and (b) provide strategies to break the stigmatization of expectant and parenting youth , and thereby increase the likelihood of improved outcomes for young parents and their children. It should be noted that , although the majority of relevant research has focused on youth who are cisgender (i.e. , those whose gender identity corresponds with their sex assigned at birth) and whose pregnancy resulted from a heterosexual relationship, 1 expectant and parenting youth are not monolithic in their gender identity and expression. Thus, the terms“expectant and parenting youth ,” “young people ,” and “young parents” are used interchangeably in this report to respect the multifaceted identities of this youth population. The terms “male” and “female” are used only when reporting quantitative data. The term “father” is used when reporting the limited research findings about the young people who contributed to a pregnancy as a result of heterosexual sexual contact. A Pictur

FAQs

What population does the report focus on, and why is it unique?

It focuses on expectant and parenting youth who are involved with systems of care, intersecting developmental needs as adolescents, emerging adults, parents, and young people in child welfare, juvenile justice, and/or other services. The report treats their roles as parallel and interrelated rather than separate.

What challenges contribute to stigma for expectant and parenting youth?

Expectant and parenting youth face negative perceptions, expectations, and judgments as young parents while navigating transitions to adulthood and parenthood. The report links lack of contextualization of data to stigmatization and deficit-based policy approaches.

What four strategies does the report recommend to break stigmatization?

The strategies are to reframe the causes and outcomes of adolescent pregnancy and parenting, amplify young parents’ voices and positive outcomes, support dual transitions to adulthood and parenthood, and build young parents’ protective factors.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Mia