Editorial

From the Desk of Gaye Morris Smith
Executive Director

Welcome to Connected. This issue features articles around the recent national themes of Child Abuse Prevention Month, Foster Care Month, and Teen Pregnancy Prevention Month.

A recent e-mail from the Georgia Campaign for Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention reflects how all three issues are related: "Children born to adolescent parents are more likely to grow up in single parent homes, end up in foster care, drop out of school, or become incarcerated or teen parents themselves."

With so many children in DFCS custody, more foster and adoptive parents are needed to provide loving, nurturing and safe environments for these youth. The need is greatest for foster and adoptive parents for teens, sibling groups, and children with special needs.

Many Family Connection county collaboratives are working to reduce the teen pregnancy rate and the percentage of repeat births to teen mothers. Community strategic plans for the 159 counties in Georgia show collaboratives are targeting this issue by implementing a wide array of strategies, programs and activities designed to reduce this rate.

In this issue you'll find information on what individuals and organizations can do to support these youth. "Fixing" these issues is complicated, challenging, and costly. What is required is a multifaceted, comprehensive approach that creates an environment where our children grow up to have hope, see possibilities, and feel compassion.