1). Poor, Dysfunctional Families and Deteriorating Neighborhoods Impact on Young At-Risk Teen Girls

In neighborhoods with high concentrations of poor families, many 10- to 15-year-old girls have multiple problems. In our interviews with service providers and our reviews of recent studies, we found (1) high rates of substance abuse among the parents of young teen girls, (2) widespread physical and sexual abuse of teen girls, and (3) many young girls that were left unattended for long periods of time and who often assumed adult responsibilities in their homes. Young Girls in These Neighborhoods Are at Risk for Multiple Problems

The interplay of family poverty—often with parental substance abuse and child neglect and abuse—and neighborhoods with few resources leaves young teen girls at risk for many problems and dangerous behaviors. The few services for these girls and their families are typically offered only when problems reach the crisis state. According to providers, parents are often unaware of their children’s activities; may condone early sexual activity and childbearing; and give little attention and support to their children. New Service Approaches Depend on Increased Community Leadership and Involvement

A community’s ability to address the problems of at-risk teen girls depends on more than a collection of programs and service providers. Local providers also found that they have to coordinate community activities with one another as well as with other entities in the community. Because this report focuses on local responses to at-risk teens and their families, we did not obtain agency comments. We visited three urban neighborhoods for close review—Ward 7 in Washington, D.C.; Boyle Heights in Los Angeles, California; and West Oakland in Oakland, California—to document the availability of human services for at-risk teen girls; the barriers to serving this population; and how communities are responding to this population’s service needs. 4, 1994). Additional copies are $2 each. A recorded menu will provide information on how to obtain these lists.
Why GAO Did This Study

Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO provided information on teenage girls who may be at risk for Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) dependency, focusing on: (1) the health and well being of at-risk teenage girls, their families, and their urban neighborhoods' conditions; (2) local service providers' perspectives on these girls' needs and how they are addressing those needs; and (3) how communities respond to these girls' service needs.

What GAO Found

GAO found that: (1) local AFDC service providers have characterized many of the 10- to 15-year old girls they serve as detached from their families and communities, sexually abused, neglected, and threatened by violence; (2) economic and social conditions such as poverty, deteriorating neighborhoods, dysfunctional families, and a poor self-image have created a population of teen girls who are at-risk for long-term AFDC dependency; (3) services for at-risk teen girls are limited and are often unavailable until after a crisis, uncoordinated, and are not readily accessible; (4) teenage girls receive a lower level of services than other at-risk groups and are offered few preventive services; (5) some neighborhoods are organizing coalitions to better serve these girls; (6) some providers have expanded their community roles to better integrate services for at-risk teens and their families; and (7) new service delivery strategies include identifying and providing multiple preventive services and activities, encouraging parents to become involved in their children's activities, and increasing the community's participation and commitment to the initiative.