Dear bee000,

There are alternative education options for pregnant teens in many areas of the country. The following national programs are a good place to start your research:

• Child Care Aware (1-800-424-2246)Call this service for the name and number of your local Child Care Resource and Referral (CCR&R) agency. This website includes a search engine that uses your zip code to find your local agency.



• National Child Care Information Center (1-800-616-2242) A program of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Children and Families, the center maintains a list of state and regional offices providing information on local subsidized childcare services.



• Head Start Another program of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Head Start provides education and early childhood development services for low-income families with children ages five and younger. Use the website's search engine to find Head Start services in your area.

Thanks to the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG), a childcare-services funding program administered by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, many states provide money to teenage parents who need it to be able to afford childcare so they can stay in school. Various other state, county, and city-based programs provide similar childcare funds or services for teenage parents.

If you're a teen parent, you have the right to

• access all educational opportunities that other students have
• attend all school activities, including extracurricular activities and graduation ceremonies
• attend school and go to class
• compete on school sports teams, unless your health care provider advises you not to participate
• enroll in a GED program or a school specially suited for parenting teens
• expect confidentiality when corresponding with school health care professionals
• join honor societies and other academic societies
• miss school for legitimate medical appointments for you or your child
• receive extra help and make up missed homework assignments due to excused absences
• take a leave of absence for pregnancy, childbirth, and recovery

Hope this information helps!

Take care,

teenwire.com^® Editors

This column is for informational purposes only and is not intended to constitute medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you have a medical problem, please call toll-free 1-800-230-PLAN for an appointment with the Planned Parenthood health center nearest you.