Research Paper

Submitted By _SoFarGONExo
Words: 1019
Pages: 5

Olivia Riddick
Ms. Warren
Capstone
22 January 2015
Teen Pregnancy Prevention Adolescence can be a tough period; they are faced with emerging independence, physical and emotional transformations. During this time, adolescence face social challenges and temptation that want them to engage in risk taking activities that can ruin lives forever. One of those risk-taking activities is unintended pregnancy. Many teens find it easy to get involved in sexual activities because it has become a trend. Movies and shows have been produced centering on teen pregnancy. Americas favorite 16 and Pregnant has more of a positive impact rather than a negative impact, According to Professors Melissa Kearney of the University of Maryland and Phillip Levine of Wellesley College. “Led to a 5.7% reduction in teen births a percentage that accounts for one-third of the total decline in teen births” 20,000 fewer teen births a year.” Although many viewers assumed that, the show would have a negative affect it ended up having more seasons in result of this. One of Americas growing organizations is foster care; it takes children from all kinds of unsafe situations and places them in secure homes. Over “400,540 children are in the U.S. foster care system” according to Children Action Network. Most children are placed temporarily in foster care due to parental abuse or neglect. The article goes on to state that “20% of children who are victims of abuse and neglect are placed with relatives”. In return, they learn to adapt to what a normal family lifestyle is like. For younger children in foster care, it can be the hardest thing to overcome. Many battle with abandonment issues, rejection and the biggest of all trust issues. When these issues are developed, it makes it hard for the foster child to adapt to a normal life style. The child is not able to communicate to the foster parent, therefore making it hard for them to develop a child to parent relationship. Many children in foster care have trouble letting their guards down because of the hurts they have endured. Once, they allow their foster parents in, it allows the parent to not only parent them, but it also can begin a healing process with in that child, so that they may be able to develop in ways that are necessary for them . The foster child has the opportunity to develop into better people in the world, and one-day better parents. The dynamic of the foster child and parent changes when the child realizes that they are in a good home with people that love them, they are able to have conversations concerning various issues, whether it is an issue they faced or an issue they might soon come in counter with. Foster parenting comes with many challenges especially when you choose to have older children. For most of them, they have been passed from home to home and have harder walls to break down and have developed the mindset that they know what is good for them and know how they should live their life. The mindset of an older foster child is that they pretty much know how to take care of them selves; the system just believes they are too young to be on their own. With that, comes an unavoidable thing such as teen pregnancy. Many foster care children have a hard time accepting the love that the foster parent is trying to give so they seek for love in other areas. They long to have someone in their life that no matter what happens they will always have someone to love them back and be around to show them that love. They often ignore the responsibilities, the sacrifices and the many life changes that come with accepting this responsibility of being a parent at an early age. Along with teen pregnancy comes the issue that many foster care children do not have a stable