The impact of school-based support on educational outcomes of teen-mothers: evidence from linked administrative data

Abstract

Teen Parent Units (TPUs) provide education and support for high school students who are pregnant or parents in New Zealand. They provide childcare, links to health and other social services, guidance and mentoring. Because this programme is only available in some schools, evaluation is possible using teen mothers and schools in other geographic areas as controls. Using administrative data, this study evaluates the impact of TPUs on school attendance and completion outcomes amongst nearly all teen mothers born between 1991 and 1994 in New Zealand. We find that young women who had access to TPUs were less likely to dropout of school and more likely to complete school qualifications. Among all teen mothers, access to a TPU at or prior to conception significantly increased the probability of school enrolment after giving birth. Among teen mothers enrolled in school post-birth, TPU access substantially increased the probabilities of completing formal high school qualifications.