Young, incarcerated mothers face many challenges along their parenthood journey. Home-visiting programs can help prepare them to overcome these obstacles, and against all odds, be the mothers they want to be for their children.
The Annie E. Casey Foundation took a closer look into the Tufts University study, "Home Visiting for System Involved Young Mothers," which examined the effects of the Healthy Families Massachusetts home-visiting model on a group of Massachusetts mothers under the age of 21 who were involved in the juvenile justice system.
The study found that "the more intensive the support, the more likely the young mothers were to progress toward their goals."
Other longer-term findings showed that the mothers involved in the Healthy Families Massachusetts program had increased likelihood of employment, and self-reported having "higher personal mastery," in comparison to their control group peers.
Ilene Berman, senior associate in The Annie E. Casey Foundation's Evidence-Based Group, shares their aspirations for programs like this one.
“We hope this study will help provide direction for states and cities across the country who are interested in using a home-visiting program to target this vulnerable and often difficult-to-reach population.”