Supports and Services for Expectant and Parenting Youth in Foster Care - Indiana

Date: October 2025

Youth's Parental Rights
Citation: DCF Pol. Man. § 8.36

In policy: The Indiana Department of Child Services (DCS) recognizes that parenting youth, both male and female, have the same rights and responsibilities as all parents; therefore, all expecting and parenting youth in out-of-home care may be referred for services to assist the youth in developing parenting skills (e.g., fatherhood classes, counseling, parenting classes).

The family case manager (FCM) must allow the parenting youth to make informed decisions about the youth's child, free from undue influences and/or coercion, including ensuring the youth is able to make decisions regarding his or her child without undue influence or coercion from the youth's caregiver or members of the child and family team (CFT).

From the Indiana Bill of Rights for Youth in Foster Care:

  • We, as pregnant or parenting youth, have a right to raise our children unless the court specifies otherwise.
  • We, as pregnant or parenting youth, have a right to make decisions for our children.

Placement Options
Citation: DCF Pol. Man. § 8.36

DCS will ensure a youth who is a parent and the youth's child are placed together in the same home, unless extenuating circumstances exist (e.g., medical needs, psychological needs, home environment) that prevent the parenting youth from caring for the child. DCS should not file a Child in Need of Services case on or remove the child of a parenting youth who is in out-of-home care unless there is endangerment that warrants DCS to file proceedings with the court for the safety of the child.

Health Services 
Citation: DCF Pol. Man. § 8.36

It is important that all expectant youth and/or parenting youth in out-of-home care receive appropriate psychological, medical, legal, and financial services to ensure the safety and well-being of the expectant youth, parenting youth, and their children.

For all pregnant or expecting youth in out-of-home care, the FCM will ensure that a pregnant youth has access to prenatal care and is connected to pregnancy options counseling services.

Parent Preparation for Expectant Youth
Citation: DCF Pol. Man. § 8.36

DCS recognizes that parenting youth, both male and female, have the same rights and responsibilities as all parents; therefore, all expecting and parenting youth in out-of-home care may be referred for services to assist in developing the youth's parenting skills (e.g., fatherhood classes, counseling, parenting classes).

For an expectant youth in out-of-home care, the FCM will offer family services to the expectant youth and the expectant youth's parent, guardian, or custodian to address any issues related to the pregnancy. For an expectant father in out-of-home care, the FCM will offer family support services to the expectant father and the expectant father's parent, guardian, or custodian to address any issues related to the youth becoming a father.

Education and Services to Support Parenting Youth
Citation: DCF Pol. Man. § 8.36

In some cases, the youth who is a parent is not the child's primary caregiver. The child may live with the child's other parent, a foster parent, or another family member. If the youth is not the primary caregiver, the youth may still be involved in the child's rearing. Any time a youth has a child and is involved in that child's life, the youth should be offered family support services, including parenting classes.

The issue of assisting parenting youth in finishing high school is not addressed in the laws and policies reviewed. For information on assisting youth in foster care complete high school, see Educational Supports for Youth in Foster Care - Indiana | Child Welfare Information Gateway.

Economic and Concrete Supports 
Citation: DCF Pol. Man. § 8.36

Even when DCS does not have custody of the minor parent's child, additional foster care payments can be added to the per diem of the minor parent to enable the child to be placed with that minor parent. These payments are authorized without DCS taking custody of the youth's child.

Services and Supports for Parenting Youth That Promote Self-Sufficiency

This issue is not addressed in the laws and policies reviewed.

Foster Care Prevention Strategy for any Child Born to the Youth
Citation: DCF Pol. Man. § 8.36

For parenting youth in out-of-home care, the FCM will do the following:

  • Coordinate prevention or family services for the parenting youth, including, but not limited to, parenting classes if the youth will be involved in parenting the child
  • Ensure the parenting youth has information about child support, Medicaid, and child care
  • Contact the Department of Health Maternal and Child Health helpline to connect the parenting youth to an appropriate home visiting program
  • Create a new visitation plan if the parenting youth and child will not be living together, and the youth plans to remain involved in the child's life
  • Ensure the parenting youth's case plan includes information regarding services being offered to prevent removal of the youth's child