A Population-Based Analysis of Birth Rates and Placement Patterns Among Care-Experienced Young Women in New South Wales, Australia

Abstract

International research has consistently identified that care-experienced young women are disproportionately likely to become mothers at an early age and benefit from the availability of comprehensive services and supports. This study addresses a paucity of prevalence data in the Australian context by identifying and describing the population of young mothers, aged 15–24, who spent time in out-of-home care (OOHC) in New South Wales between 2009 and 2019. It also makes a novel contribution to the literature by identifying placement patterns during and after first pregnancies. Main findings include that care-experienced young women are three times more likely to give birth than their peers in the majority population and report high rates of smoking during pregnancy and receipt of fewer than the recommended number of prenatal health care visits. The findings also indicate that pathways into motherhood from OOHC are often marked by instability and uncertainty, consisting of frequent perinatal placement changes and exits from OOHC during pregnancy. This indicates that targeted interventions are needed to promote placement stability and supported transitions from OOHC to enhance the health and well-being of care-experienced young mothers and their babies. Directions for future research include the identification of variables associated with perinatal placement stability, consistent healthcare usage, and smoking cessation.