Book Review - Supporting Young Parents: Pregnancy and Parenthood Among Young People in Care

By Bruce Leslie

Authors: Elaine Chase, Ian Warwick, Abigail Knight and Peter Aggleton

Publisher: Jessica Kingsley Publishers, London UK, 2009

Order: http://www.orders@jkp.com, $39.95

Being young and in love is often considered romantic, whereas being young and pregnant or parenting not as much. If you readily agreed with this statement, especially the latter part, you might find some aspects of this book harder to accept.

The foreword highlights that in the United Kingdom, children who are "looked after" (in care) are more likely than their peers to become pregnant and parents while still teenagers. Additional studies had similar results from Australia, United States, and Canada-this is a common trend across the globe. In a recent Ontario study of a non-random sample of 30 young women who were Crown wards, there was found to be a pregnancy rate of 43% and birth rate of 23% (Leslie, 2007). These rates are four to five times higher than those in the general population.

In 1999, the National Teenage Pregnancy Strategy was launched in the United Kingdom, which "signaled an important policy shift away from viewing teenage pregnancy as an issue of illegitimacy and welfare dependence [...] towards one of public health, social exclusion and health inequalities" (Chase, Warwick, Knight & Aggleton, 2009, p.16). Supporting Young Parents grew out of a study funded by the Department of Health, conducted within the Thomas Coram Research Unit at the Institute of Education, University of London.

"The overall aims of the research were to explore factors contributing to early pregnancy and parenthood among young people in and leaving care; determine the kinds of supports available to young parents; and, identify what enables or prevents them from receiving the support they need" (p. 31).

The study had three main elements: a review of the literature; a national survey; and, a "close focus investigation" of the views of young parents and 'carers'. The book is mostly focused on the third element but also highlights key findings from the survey. The literature informed the questions explored in the focus groups and provided context for the analysis.

Sixty-three young people, either in care or leaving care, were interviewed: 47 young women between the ages of 15 and 22, and 16 young men between the ages of 15 and 23. Seventy-eight professionals were interviewed from four different research sites. They included staff from child welfare authorities and collateral services.

In each of the chapters, the central topic is sensitively explored through numerous quotes and the identification of prominent themes that range from personal and interpersonal, to service connections, instrumental needs, and emotional joy. It is clear from many of the quotes and references that the authors want to expand on the strengths of the youth, increase the understanding of the challenges they face leaving care, and explore possible solutions. The authors do not contradict the literature that identifies the many hurdles and barriers these young people face so much as seek to understand the youth from the points of education and intervention, along a developmental continuum of service.

It is clear from some of the quoted youth in this study, and other research, that pregnancy wasn‘t their intent when becoming sexually involved. Sometimes it resulted from a lack of knowledge, peer pressure, or violence. Sometimes it evolved in a caring relationship. Some of the supporting quotes were from young women, some from young men. All of the quotes speak to the need for a supportive, educative, range of services to help produce the best possible outcomes.

Some of the impetus for the National Teenage Pregnancy Strategy was built on findings from the OnLAC (Looking After Children), Assessment and Action Records used by child welfare staff. The professionals interviewed identified the need for improved services but described being hampered by limited resources and not always being able to provide the type of timely assistance many of these young people require. However, there seemed to be a "general understanding […] that this could be a 'false economy'" (p. 147).

Towards the end of the book the authors ask questions and put forward different perspectives held about the emotionally weighted discussion of teenage sexuality and pregnancy. They ask, "Is a youth‘s apparent resistance to a worker‘s direction setting a problem or a sign of resilience?" and reference the work of Robbie Gilligan to support an emphasis on "self-healing" and "self-righting capacities" that are optimized in the context of positive relationships. Also highlighted are some of the findings of a Canadian researcher, Deborah Rutman, which raise questions about social workers having negative perceptions about teenage parenting and the impact these perceptions have on the youth.

In the concluding chapter of the book, the authors highlight five key themes identified from the interviews supporting the improvement of practices:

1. Transparency of service provision – youth expressed feeling uninvolved or having little control over decisions that seemed unfair at times.

2. Continuity of care - building more secure and stable life experiences.

3. Adequate resources – support for a comprehensive continuum of services.

4. Listening to what young people have to say – responding to their expressed not assumed needs.

5. Promoting and building on young people‘s strengths.

Deep within child welfare services lore is the practice observation that many of the young parents we become involved with were once part of a family that received service. Some of these new parents had been in care and others had been Crown wards. There is no definitive study that informs a numeric estimate of this observation but there are numerous studies that have identified a much higher rate of pregnancy, early parenting, and subsequent parenting challenges for young women who were in care than those in the general population. Whether the reader sees this as a problem statistic to be reduced or a significant situation that needs specialised services to benefit those involved, the chances of producing positive results will be greater if the situation is not left unattended.

"One of the aims of this book is to question views that regard teenage pregnancy as no more than a problem to be avoided" (p. 68).

The authors and the youth whose voices they amplify highlight that sexual relations are not always the most comfortable topic of discussion for care providers, youth, parents, and social workers. It doesn‘t seem to get any easier with pregnancy and parenting. Perhaps reading this book can help ease discomfort, raise awareness, increase the priority of this work, and strengthen resilience.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Bruce Leslie is the Manager of Quality Assurance at the Catholic Children‘s Aid Society of Toronto.

REFERENCES

Leslie, B. (2007) After care ends: Pregnant pathways. Ontario Association of Children’s Aid Societies Journal, 51 (4), 17-26.

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