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Help for teen fathers

Frank Mariano, 16, a participant in the L.A. Fathers Program at Children's Hospital Los Angeles, jokes around with his 1-year-old daughter, Anabell, in their Koreatown home. In about a year, nearly 250 teenage fathers have gone through the 10-week program.

Frank Mariano, 16, a participant in the L.A. Fathers Program at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, jokes around with his 1-year-old daughter, Anabell, in their Koreatown home. In about a year, nearly 250 teenage fathers have gone through the 10-week program.   (Susannah Kay / Los Angeles Times)

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The L.A. Fathers Program at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles is designed to reach the often forgotten partner in teen pregnancies. The program offers young fathers free parenting classes, job placement and social services -- as well as free food, diapers and condoms.
Read more: Children’s Hospital L.A. program reaches out to teen dads

Family time

Keroll Minera, 17, and Frank Mariano, 16, play with their 1-year-old daughter, Anabell, in their Koreatown home. Frank receives free food, diapers and condoms for attending the Children’s Hospital L.A. program for young fathers.  (Susannah Kay / Los Angeles Times)

Going for a stroll

Frank Mariano, 16, pushes a stroller with his daughter, Anabell, 1, in Koreatown.   (Susannah Kay / Los Angeles Times)

Playing in the park

Frank Mariano, 16, plays with his daughter, Anabell, 1, at a park in Koreatown.  (Susannah Kay / Los Angeles Times)

Park time

Frank Mariano, 16, plays with his daughter, Anabell, 1, at a park in Koreatown.   (Susannah Kay / Los Angeles Times)

Reaching for daddy

Anabell Mariano, 1, stretches her arm out to her father. Both of her parents were in high school when she was born.  (Susannah Kay / Los Angeles Times)

Down the slide

Frank Mariano, 16, gets ready to go down a slide with his 1-year-old daughter, Anabell, at a park in Koreatown.  (Susannah Kay / Los Angeles Times)

Puppet tools

Frank Mariano, 16, demonstrates dominant communication with a puppet as part of an L.A. Fathers Program exercise at Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles.  (Susannah Kay / Los Angeles Times)

Classroom exercise

Frank Mariano, center, stands on a chair for an exercise on dominant communication, part of the L.A. Fathers Program at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles.  (Susannah Kay / Los Angeles Times)

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