The Problem

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The United States has one of the highest teen pregnancy rates in the industrialized world even though there has been some decrease in recent years. Teen pregnancy impacts the health and quality of life of children, young women and men, and their families and communities.    

Teenage mothers are at higher risk of giving birth to low birthweight babies who will have higher risks of having developmental, emotional, and physical anomalies.  As young American males become sexually active at ever younger ages, they endanger their health and welfare as well as those of their partners and children.    Many young men and women risk pregnancy and STD/HIV/AIDS by not using condoms.  Many of them are fathering children and not taking responsibility or are unable to care for the needs of their babies and the mother of their babies. Some of these young fathers may be children, themselves.  Thus, more and more children are being brought up by single females trying to make ends meet.     

ONE OF THE MISSING LINKS MAY BE THE LACK OF PARENTING KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS-THE FCPP CAN PROVIDE GREAT INFORMATION, MANY OF THE SKILLS AND THE DESIRE TO BE A GREAT DAD.  WITHOUT THESE ESSENTIAL COMPONENTS OF FATHERHOOD, THE SOCIOLOGICAL CYCLE  OF POOR FATHERS BEGETTING POOR FATHERS, REPEATS ITSELF.   

WE MUST BREAK THIS CYCLE!