This paper has been commissioned as part of the external evaluation of the Teen Parents Support Initiative (TPSI) funded by the Department of Health and Children. The purpose of the paper is to discuss the extent to which existing provision within the Irish welfare system meets the financial support needs of teenage parents, in particular, the extent to which it meets the needs of different subgroups within the overall population of teenage parents. These subgroups are largely delimited by their marital status and age that is, those parenting alone, cohabiting, married, aged less than or greater than 18 years. The impetus for this paper was provided by the work of the four elements of the Initiative and its identification of a number of issues arising from the present system of support.

Young parents with whom the Initiative engaged, saw the provision of timely financial supports, particularly when they were attempting to participate in education and training, as key to assisting them in the long term to move from welfare dependency to self-sufficiency. The principal financial support needs identified by young parents relate to the following areas:
• Education and training;
• Childcare;
• Assistance with unanticipated expenses or emergency costs; and
• Accomodation.