IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/cysrev/v108y2020ics0190740919306644.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

“We are kind of their parents”: Child welfare workers’ perspective on sexuality education for foster youth

Author

Listed:
  • Harmon-Darrow, Caroline
  • Burruss, Karen
  • Finigan-Carr, Nadine

Abstract

Adolescents and young adults placed in our child welfare system are at an increased risk for pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections due to their likelihood to engage in high-risk behaviors, such as unprotected sex and sex with multiple partners. They receive unclear and inconsistent messages about sexual and reproductive health and lack access to reproductive health services and programs. Focus groups (N = 3) comprised of child welfare workers and foster parents were conducted to capture the issues relevant to addressing the sexual reproductive health needs of youth in out-of-home care. Participants indicated that they generally did not receive sufficient training, if any, yet were expected to address sexual reproductive health issues with youth. The responses were organized into three themes that should be considered when developing training interventions: (1) how to communicate with youth about sexual reproductive health; (2) defining adults’ roles and activities in assisting youth; and, (3) discussions about their values about sex and sexual activity. The results of this study point to a need for child welfare workers and foster parents to receive concrete practice skills regarding how to address the sexual reproductive health needs of youth.

Suggested Citation

  • Harmon-Darrow, Caroline & Burruss, Karen & Finigan-Carr, Nadine, 2020. "“We are kind of their parents”: Child welfare workers’ perspective on sexuality education for foster youth," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 108(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:cysrev:v:108:y:2020:i:c:s0190740919306644
    DOI: 10.1016/j.childyouth.2019.104565
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0190740919306644
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.childyouth.2019.104565?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Matta Oshima, Karen M. & Narendorf, Sarah Carter & McMillen, J. Curtis, 2013. "Pregnancy risk among older youth transitioning out of foster care," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 35(10), pages 1760-1765.
    2. Lindahl, Robert & Bruhn, Anders, 2018. "Professional dilemmas and occupational constraints in child welfare workers' relationships with children and youth in foster care," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 88(C), pages 333-340.
    3. Albertson, Katie & Crouch, Julia M. & Udell, Wadiya & Schimmel-Bristow, Allison & Serrano, Jessica & Ahrens, Kym R., 2018. "Caregiver perceived barriers to preventing unintended pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections among youth in foster care," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 94(C), pages 82-87.
    4. James, Sigrid & Montgomery, Susanne B. & Leslie, Laurel K. & Zhang, Jinjin, 2009. "Sexual risk behaviors among youth in the child welfare system," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 31(9), pages 990-1000, September.
    5. Aparicio, Elizabeth & Pecukonis, Edward V. & O'Neale, Shalita, 2015. "“The love that I was missing”: Exploring the lived experience of motherhood among teen mothers in foster care," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 51(C), pages 44-54.
    6. Svoboda, Deborah V. & Shaw, Terry V. & Barth, Richard P. & Bright, Charlotte Lyn, 2012. "Pregnancy and parenting among youth in foster care: A review," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 34(5), pages 867-875.
    7. Haight, Wendy & Finet, Dayna & Bamba, Sachiko & Helton, Jesse, 2009. "The beliefs of resilient African-American adolescent mothers transitioning from foster care to independent living: A case-based analysis," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 31(1), pages 53-62, January.
    8. Dworsky, Amy & Courtney, Mark E., 2010. "The risk of teenage pregnancy among transitioning foster youth: Implications for extending state care beyond age 18," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 32(10), pages 1351-1356, October.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Prévost-Lemire, Madeleine & Paquette, Geneviève & Lanctôt, Nadine, 2021. "Trauma symptoms as factors associated with early motherhood among young women who had contact with child protective services," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 126(C).
    2. Combs, Katie Massey & Cook Lee, Mackenzie & Ramseyer Winter, Virginia & Taussig, Heather, 2022. "Sexual and reproductive health protective factors among adolescents with child welfare involvement," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 140(C).
    3. Finigan-Carr, Nadine M. & Craddock, Jaih B. & Johnson, Tonya, 2021. "Predictors of condom use among system-involved youth: The importance of Sex Ed," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 127(C).
    4. Riad, Germeen & Forden, Carie, 2021. "“If we didn't talk, we would be like ostriches burying our heads in the sand”: Attitudes toward sexuality, gender, and sex education among child protection social workers in Egypt," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 129(C).
    5. Greene, Alison & Korchmaros, Josephine D., 2022. "Engaging parents and caregivers of system-involved youth in a sexual health intervention," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 137(C).
    6. Ross, Christina & Kools, Susan & Laughon, Kathryn, 2020. "“It was only me against the world.” Female African American Adolescents’ perspectives on their sexual and reproductive health learning and experiences while in foster care: Implications for positive y," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 118(C).
    7. van der Gaag, Renske Sanne & Gisella Gwendolyn Walpot, Mirjam & Boendermaker, Leonieke, 2024. "Professional competencies for sexuality and relationships education in child and youth social care: A scoping review," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 158(C).

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Lieberman, Lisa D. & Kaplan, Alejandra & Scholey, Laura & Kohomban, Jeremy & Lausell-Bryant, Linda, 2020. "Strategic partners: Enhancing the ability of foster care agencies to serve the special needs of young mothers," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 110(C).
    2. Ramseyer Winter, Virginia & Brandon-Friedman, Richard A. & Ely, Gretchen E., 2016. "Sexual health behaviors and outcomes among current and former foster youth: A review of the literature," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 64(C), pages 1-14.
    3. Ohene, Serena K. & Garcia, Antonio, 2020. "Narratives of women’s retrospective experiences of teen pregnancy, motherhood, and school engagement while placed in foster care," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 108(C).
    4. Bruce, Janine S., 2016. "Sexual and reproductive health policies for foster youth in California: A qualitative study of child welfare professionals' experiences and perceptions of policies," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 61(C), pages 184-200.
    5. Aparicio, Elizabeth M. & Shpiegel, Svetlana & Grinnell-Davis, Claudette & King, Bryn, 2019. "“My body is strong and amazing”: Embodied experiences of pregnancy and birth among young women in foster care," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 98(C), pages 199-205.
    6. Radey, Melissa & Schelbe, Lisa & McWey, Lenore M. & Holtrop, Kendal & Canto, Angela I., 2016. "“It's really overwhelming”: Parent and service provider perspectives of parents aging out of foster care," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 67(C), pages 1-10.
    7. Combs, Katie Massey & Cook Lee, Mackenzie & Ramseyer Winter, Virginia & Taussig, Heather, 2022. "Sexual and reproductive health protective factors among adolescents with child welfare involvement," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 140(C).
    8. Narendorf, Sarah Carter & Munson, Michelle R. & Levingston, Fredreka, 2013. "Managing moods and parenting: Perspectives of former system youth who struggle with emotional challenges," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 35(12), pages 1979-1987.
    9. Roberts, Louise & Maxwell, Nina & Elliott, Martin, 2019. "When young people in and leaving state care become parents: What happens and why?," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 104(C), pages 1-1.
    10. Roberts, Louise & Long, Sara Jayne & Young, Honor & Hewitt, Gillian & Murphy, Simon & Moore, Graham F., 2018. "Sexual health outcomes for young people in state care: Cross-sectional analysis of a national survey and views of social care professionals in Wales," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 89(C), pages 281-288.
    11. Greene, Alison & Korchmaros, Josephine D., 2022. "Engaging parents and caregivers of system-involved youth in a sexual health intervention," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 137(C).
    12. Shpiegel, Svetlana & Cascardi, Michele, 2018. "The impact of early childbirth on socioeconomic outcomes and risk indicators of females transitioning out of foster care," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 84(C), pages 1-8.
    13. Roberts, Louise & Meakings, Sarah & Forrester, Donald & Smith, Audra & Shelton, Katherine, 2017. "Care-leavers and their children placed for adoption," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 79(C), pages 355-361.
    14. Zárate-Alva, Nair Elizabeth & Sala-Roca, Josefina, 2019. "Socio-emotional skills of girls and young mothers in foster care," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 100(C), pages 50-56.
    15. Ross, Christina & Kools, Susan & Laughon, Kathryn, 2020. "“It was only me against the world.” Female African American Adolescents’ perspectives on their sexual and reproductive health learning and experiences while in foster care: Implications for positive y," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 118(C).
    16. Combs, Katie Massey & Brown, Samantha M. & Begun, Stephanie & Taussig, Heather, 2018. "Pregnancy attitudes and contraceptive use among young adults with histories of foster care," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 94(C), pages 284-289.
    17. Sarah A. Font & Maria Cancian & Lawrence M. Berger, 2019. "Prevalence and Risk Factors for Early Motherhood Among Low-Income, Maltreated, and Foster Youth," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 56(1), pages 261-284, February.
    18. Aparicio, Elizabeth & Pecukonis, Edward V. & O'Neale, Shalita, 2015. "“The love that I was missing”: Exploring the lived experience of motherhood among teen mothers in foster care," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 51(C), pages 44-54.
    19. Finigan-Carr, Nadine M. & Craddock, Jaih B. & Johnson, Tonya, 2021. "Predictors of condom use among system-involved youth: The importance of Sex Ed," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 127(C).
    20. Prévost-Lemire, Madeleine & Paquette, Geneviève & Lanctôt, Nadine, 2021. "Trauma symptoms as factors associated with early motherhood among young women who had contact with child protective services," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 126(C).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:cysrev:v:108:y:2020:i:c:s0190740919306644. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/childyouth .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.