Studies of maltreatment, in particular physical abuse, reveal that young mothers exhibit higher rates of maltreatment than older mothers. Other factors, such as lower economic status, lack of social support, and high stress levels, also contribute to the link between young parents and child maltreatment.

The Cycle of Child Protection Services Involvement: A Cohort Study of Adolescent Mothers
Wall-Wieler, Brownell, Singal, Nickel, & Roos (2018)
Pediatrics, 141(6)
Presents the results of a study that showed adolescent mothers in foster care at the time they gave birth are more than seven times more likely to have their child taken into care of the child welfare system before age 2 than adolescent mothers who were not in care.

How Can Understanding Risk and Protective Factors Predict Chronic Neglect for CPS-Involved Families?
Casey Family Programs (2020)
Examines the use of risk assessment tools to predict chronic neglect and shows that parents' cognitive impairment, history of substitute care, and mental health problems, as well as a higher number of allegations in a report, are the strongest predictors. Having a younger parent, being in a family with higher numbers of children, and being in a family with a child under age 1 were also predictors of neglect.

Intergenerational Transmission of Maladaptive Parenting Strategies in Families of Adolescent Mothers: Effects from Grandmothers to Young Children
Seay & Jahromi & Umaña-Taylor & Updegraff (2016)
Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 44(8)
Examines whether adolescent mothers’ potential for abuse and punitive discipline is dependent on generational maternal parenting experiences.

Promoting Protective Factors for Pregnant and Parenting Teens: A Guide for Practitioners

Series Title
Factsheets
Author(s)
Development Services Group, Inc.; Child Welfare Information Gateway
Availability
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Download (PDF - 413KB)
Order bound (Free)
Year Published
2015
Presents information from a review of current research on specific protective factors that carry moderate or strong association with improved well-being for pregnant and parenting teens. Topics include individual skills and capacities that can improve the well-being of teens who are pregnant and/or parenting; how parents, guardians, friends, and others can contribute to the well-being of these teens; creating supportive communities; and strategies for practitioners. This publication is part of a series of five factsheets for practitioners exploring the importance of protective factors in working with in-risk populations served by the Administration on Children, Youth and Families.

Risk Factors and Protective Factors
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2020)
Explores risk and protective factors for child maltreatment, including young parental age, low education, single parenthood, having a large number of children, and low income. The webpage also mentions parents' lack of understanding of parenting skills, child development, and children's needs as risk factors.

The Strengths Perspective: Providing Opportunities for Teen Parents and Their Families to Succeed (PDF - 526 KB)
Ricks (2016)
Journal of Family Strengths, 15(1)
Examines the issue of teenage pregnancy and parenting from a strengths-based perspective. Practitioners focus on these parents' strengths and describe how strengths are often birthed during adversity. Implementing a strengths-based perspective allows child welfare workers to be more responsive to the unique needs of young parents. 

Teen Parents
Healthychildren.org
Provides practical guidance for preparing teenage parents to care for their children.

What Are Some Strategies for Supporting Pregnant and Parenting Teens in Foster Care?
Casey Family Programs (2018)
Describes the unique needs of pregnant and parenting teens in foster can and how child welfare professionals can best provide services and supports to this population to help prevent child abuse and neglect.

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