Child Welfare League of America Standards of Excellence: Services for Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention, Pregnant Adolescents, and Young Parents: “Pregnant adolescents and young parents should be fully informed about all possible options—paternity establishment, adoption, assumption of child-rearing responsibilities, termination of pregnancy, family foster care for mother and/or child, legal guardianship by family member, and any other alternatives allowed by federal, state, provincial, and local law.”
“Pregnant adolescents and young fathers facing the crisis of an unplanned pregnancy need the opportunity to carefully consider the full range of long-range options available to them: abortion, marriage, parenting the child alone or with family support, or adoption.”
“The pregnant adolescent should be provided with individual and group counseling: (1) to help her cope with the ramifications of the pregnancy and to become aware of the options in relation to pregnancy resolution (termination of the pregnancy or carrying the pregnancy to term) (2) to help her recognize her options if she decides to carry to term, including parenting the child (alone or with the father of the child), planning for the adoption of the child, or allowing guardianship to be taken by a family member; and (3) to provide guidance, encouragement, and services that will promote healthy development by facilitating her choice of resolution, school completion, satisfactory employment, positive peer and family relationships, financial stability, good physical health, and heightened self-esteem.”
Social Current / COA Accreditation Pregnancy Support Services Standard 5.02 [Pregnancy Options Counseling/Birth Options Counseling]: “The organization empowers individuals to make the best decisions for their particular circumstances by a. providing accurate information; b. ensuring counseling is nondirective and nonjudgmental; c. allowing individuals to examine their thoughts, feelings, and beliefs about their pregnancy and their options; d. helping individuals explore the pros and cons of different options; and enabling individuals to envision how different options might impact their lives in the short- and long-term.”
“Interpretation: Although organizations that offer only Birth Options Counseling will not provide counseling on termination, they should still implement all elements of the standard when they provide counseling regarding parenting, adoption, and kinship care.”
National Association of Social Workers Statement on Reproductive Justice (Social Work Speaks, 12th Edition, 2021): “NASW supports efforts to objectively educate individuals on the range of options available to them when facing an unplanned pregnancy, including abortion and adoption services, based on evidence and the beliefs of the client.”
