Getting it right for ‘looked after’ teenage parents: A case study.
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Getting it right for teenage parents who are in or leaving local authority or kinship care.
IRAS ID
214475
Contact name
Susan Kayes
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of the West Of Scotland
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 11 months, 31 days
Research summary
For young parents who are living in or leaving children's homes, foster care or kinship care, their ability to care for their children can be compromised by a wide range of factors. Stigma, poverty, unsuitable and insecure housing, health problems, relationship difficulties, financial issues, lone parenthood, increased scrutiny from social services, difficulty accessing services, isolation, lack of family support, increased involvement with criminal justice and being a young parent can all impact on their ability to cope. As a result 'looked after' young parents (LAYP) can become overwhelmed by stressors and their healthy parenting practices can be disrupted.
During pregnancy and following birth is when parents have the desire to make positive changes in their lives (Kitzman et al 1997, Hunt et al 2005, Sharp et al 2015). By effectively intervening at this crucial time improved outcomes for the most disadvantaged families can be achieved.
This research intends to explore how LAYP, either residing together with their child or parenting apart perceive support both as a care leaver and as a young parent.
The participants will be male and female parents under 20 years of age who will have been cared for in local authority residential care, secure units or formal and informal kinship care.
The LAYP will be invited to participate in a semi structured interview in their own home (with agreement), on one occasion which will last no more than 1 hour. The interviews will aim to explore the LAYP support needs and their experiences of services involved to support them parent their child.
Staff working in health, children's services, foster carers and kinship carers will also be invited to participate in a focus group to triangulate the information received from the LAYP.
REC name
West Midlands - Coventry & Warwickshire Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
18/WM/0129
Date of REC Opinion
13 Sep 2018
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion