Pregnancy and parenthood among young people in and leaving care: what are the influencing factors, and what makes a difference in providing support?
Previous research has shown increased vulnerability to teenage parenthood for young people with experience of local authority care. This study explored factors contributing to early pregnancy and parenthood among young people in and leaving care; the types of support available; and the extent to which services are perceived as accessible. Semi-structured interviews were undertaken with 63 young people. The study findings suggest that young people's experiences both prior to, and during care, influence their decisions in relation to pregnancy and impact on how they view and engage with services. The implications of these findings are discussed in the light of recent changes in legislation and services throughout England.
Chase
Elaine
E
Thomas Coram Research Unit, Institute of Education, University of London, 27/28 Woburn Square, London WC1H OAA, UK. e.chase@ioe.ac.uk
Maxwell
Claire
C
Knight
Abigail
A
Aggleton
Peter
P
D000293:Adolescent; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007224:Infant Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D016134:Organizational Policy; D016524:Parental Leave / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016487:Parenting; D011247:Pregnancy; D011253:Pregnancy in Adolescence / Q000523:psychology*; D011584:Psychology; D012944:Social Support; D012947:Social Work / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014481:United States