"We are kind of their parents": Child welfare workers' perspective on sexuality education for foster youth
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Date
2020Journal
Children and Youth Services ReviewPublisher
Elsevier LtdType
Article
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Adolescents and young adults placed in our child welfare system are at an increased risk for pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections due to their likelihood to engage in high-risk behaviors, such as unprotected sex and sex with multiple partners. They receive unclear and inconsistent messages about sexual and reproductive health and lack access to reproductive health services and programs. Focus groups (N = 3) comprised of child welfare workers and foster parents were conducted to capture the issues relevant to addressing the sexual reproductive health needs of youth in out-of-home care. Participants indicated that they generally did not receive sufficient training, if any, yet were expected to address sexual reproductive health issues with youth. The responses were organized into three themes that should be considered when developing training interventions: (1) how to communicate with youth about sexual reproductive health; (2) defining adults' roles and activities in assisting youth; and, (3) discussions about their values about sex and sexual activity. The results of this study point to a need for child welfare workers and foster parents to receive concrete practice skills regarding how to address the sexual reproductive health needs of youth.Sponsors
Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, DHMH: FYSB ACF CFDA 93.092Identifier to cite or link to this item
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85075219932&doi=10.1016%2fj.childyouth.2019.104565&partnerID=40&md5=acbef8fccbf623992107532aef0bc0ac; http://hdl.handle.net/10713/11580ae974a485f413a2113503eed53cd6c53
10.1016/j.childyouth.2019.104565