Factors associated with first and repeat births among females emancipating from foster care

Svetlana Shpiegel, Tammi Fleming, Lisa Mishraky, Sheila VanWert, Blanca Goetz, Elizabeth M. Aparicio and Bryn King

Children and Youth Services Review, 2021, vol. 125, issue C

Abstract: This study examined the rates and correlates of first and repeat births in a national sample of females emancipating from foster care in the United States (N = 3,699). Data from the National Youth in Transition Database and the Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System were used to evaluate birth rates between ages 19 and 21, and explore the risk, protective, and child welfare factors associated with first and repeat births. Findings revealed that about 30% of females in the current sample had given birth between ages 19 and 21. Of these females, about one-third had at least one previous birth, generally between the ages of 17 and 19. Higher risk of both first and repeat births between ages 19 and 21 was associated with disconnection from school and employment, increased placement instability, and earlier exit from foster care. In contrast, lower risk of first and repeat births was associated with receiving educational financial assistance. Implications for policy, practice, and research are discussed.

Keywords: Foster youth; Childbirth; Repeat births; Aging-out; Risk and protective factors (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

Downloads: (external link)
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0190740921000566
Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:cysrev:v:125:y:2021:i:c:s0190740921000566

DOI: 10.1016/j.childyouth.2021.105977

Access Statistics for this article

Children and Youth Services Review is currently edited by Duncan Lindsey

More articles in Children and Youth Services Review from Elsevier
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Catherine Liu ().