Teen Pregnancy Services

Teen Pregnancy Services are defined by the CEBC as services that are designed to support pregnant and parenting adolescents in the child welfare system or to prevent teen pregnancy in this high-risk population. The topic area consists of a range of services that includes preventive reproductive health services, pregnancy and prenatal services, and parenting and postpartum services appropriate for foster youth. Studies have shown that adolescent girls in foster care are more than twice as likely as their peers not in foster care to become pregnant by age 19, and half of 21-year-old men aging out of foster care report they had gotten someone pregnant, compared to 19 percent of their peers who were not in the system. In addition, the children born to teen mothers are at elevated risk for participating in the foster care system. Pregnant and parenting foster youth are challenged by the importance of maintaining a safe prenatal environment, learning the skills to effectively meet the physical needs of a newborn, learning how to avoid a subsequent closely spaced pregnancy, and learning how to be a responsive, safe, and nurturing parent. In addition, caregivers of pregnant and parenting foster youth may need assistance with clarifying their role and help in providing support to their youth as the youth develop parenting skills.

• Target population: Adolescents in the child welfare system, including pregnant or parenting youth
• Services/types that fit: Physical and mental health services, case management, assessment, and support services
• Delivered by: Child welfare workers, mental health professionals, or trained paraprofessionals
• In order to be included: Program must specifically target the prevention of teen pregnancy or provide services for pregnant and parenting teens
• In order to be rated: There must be research evidence (as specified by the Scientific Rating Scale) that examines outcomes of the services, such as reductions in teen pregnancy, an increase in time between repeat pregnancies, or improved well-being for the parent or child

Downloadable Topic Area Summary

The Teen Pregnancy Services topic area is relevant to child welfare because child welfare programs should be aware of research evidence for programs that can help prevent teen pregnancy in foster youth and enhance opportunities for foster youth who become parents. When teens in foster care become pregnant or become parents, the child welfare system must take responsibility for these youth and ensure that they understand the importance of maintaining their health, continuing their education, and effectively parenting their children, as well as, managing their relationships, including the other parent of the child and the important adults in their life. It is a complex situation requiring skills and interventions important to the welfare of at least two minors.

Danna Fabella, MSW
Linkages Project Director
Child and Family Policy Institute of California
Sacramento, CA

The Teen Pregnancy Services topic area was added in 2013. Richard P. Barth, PhD was the topic expert and was involved in identifying and rating any of the programs with an original load date in 2013 (as found on the bottom of the program's page on the CEBC) or others loaded earlier and added to this topic area when it launched. The topic area has grown over the years and any programs added since 2013 were identified by CEBC staff, the Scientific Panel, and/or the Advisory Committee. For these programs, Dr. Barth was not involved in identifying or rating them.