Early Parenthood and Out-of-home Care: Placements, services, and social supports

Abstract

International research has widely identified that care-experienced young parents benefit from stable placements, consistent social support, and the availability of comprehensive services tailored to their individual needs. Yet in Australia, the topic remains under-researched. This study addressed this research gap using a mixed-methods approach to explore early parenthood within the context of out-of-home care (OOHC) in New South Wales. A survey exploring service providers' and carers' views identified placement shortages and inconsistency in care planning for this cohort. Semi-structured interviews with three care-experienced young mothers, a foster carer, and 11 service providers indicated that service delivery requires good relationships and is most effective when it promotes care-experienced young parents’ confidence and autonomy. Reflexive thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2022), chosen for its emphasis on researcher subjectivity and deep engagement with data, allowed the researcher to examine how personal experience of OOHC and motherhood influenced the research process. Auto-ethnography was used to expand on interview findings by conveying the value of informal social supports for care-experienced mothers throughout the life course. Population-level administrative data analysis identified high pregnancy rates, frequent placement changes during and after pregnancy, and that many young women aged out of OOHC while pregnant. Collectively, these findings highlight the importance of specific policies designed to better meet the needs of care-experienced young parents and their children in NSW. This includes policies which promote active involvement of care-experienced young parents in decision-making; ensure greater access to developmentally appropriate, trauma informed services grounded in relationships-based practice; and provide comprehensive planning to ensure that care-experienced young parents are fully supported as they transition from OOHC.