It's a hard road for teenage dads

Teenage mums have antenatal classes, counselling and coffee groups. But who supports teenage dads? Hayley Hannan looks at what's being done.
If there's a teen mum then dad's probably a teenager, too.
Daniel Johns - who was a teen parent himself -  is passionate as he discusses his frustration about a lack of targeted support for people who find themselves in that situation.
Daniel, now 21, is helping form a support system for teen dads. He has made a flying start by being granted one of only two year-long Waitakere City Council scholarships  in that area.
He is using the funding to co-run two support group courses in Henderson. He says there is a real and continuing need for support tailored to teenage fathers. Teenage mothers have antenatal classes, counselling, support and coffee groups. Daniel says men can join classes but the information is mainly directed at women.
There's a big demand for teen-parent education. The Waitemata health board says 222 women aged under 20 gave birth in the district last year, 179 more than in 2000.
As the father of 3-year-old twin boys and a 6-month-old daughter, Daniel knows first-hand the hurdles faced by young fathers.
"When I had [my twins] heaps of my friends abandoned me. It wasn't until I went to the teen-dad groups I felt okay.
"I realised I was not the only one out there being a teen dad."
The  support sessions are a collaboration between Changeworks and Healthwest, with input from Barnardos. They run on Tuesday nights at Waitakere Hospital's teen mothers' correspondence school. The young men  learn  life and communication skills, and take part in trust-building exercises. Daniel is preparing to launch into the third course of sessions. He says there are plans to make the courses permanent, and to expand to  south, central and north Auckland. The main issue is money.
The lack of support for teenage fathers is recognised as a national issue. The Ministry of Social Development has listed teenage fathers as one of their target groups for this year's spending. Last week, a ministry working group brought researchers, teenage fathers and service providers together to help develop resources. Dr Barbara Collins says group insights will help develop guidelines.
"Most of the support is focused on the mothers and that's important ... but we need to remember that, often, these people are teen fathers or teens in relationships with mothers. So it's about them as young men but also about them as teen fathers."
Council youth development broker Adele Levi says it's important that the young group gets the attention needed. "A lot of young people think once they become parents they're not youth anymore. But they still have some growing up to do and they're still a young person."
Baby love
Teenage pregnancies are common in New Zealand. We have the second highest teen birth rate in developed countries. Over the next four years, the Government will invest $14.9 million to help vulnerable teen parents and their children by increasing the number of teen parent coordinators, case workers, support houses, and developing guidelines and training to support teen fathers.