Developing reproductive health support to prevent early and unplanned pregnancy among care experienced young people

Background Over 80,000 children in England are currently looked after by local authorities, meaning they are placed in foster, kinship, or residential care or in secure settings. These children are sometimes referred to as care experienced young people (CEYP). Whilst many children benefit from being in care, many have had difficult experiences before and during their time in care. Evidence demonstrates that these experiences increase the likelihood of poorer health and life outcomes compared to their non-care experienced peers, including with their reproductive health, where risks of early and unplanned pregnancy and parenthood are considerably higher. Early and unplanned pregnancy for CEYP has considerable health, social, and economic implications. Additionally, CEYP have an increased likelihood of contact with child protection services as a parent and are more likely to have their own child(ren) enter care. The involvement with child protection services and risk of experiencing recurrent care proceedings, within which their own children are taken into care, perpetuates intergenerational cycles of disadvantage and trauma. Despite disproportionate rates of early and unplanned pregnancy among CEYP and associated negative impacts, those involved in their care do not know how to effectively respond and targeted interventions remain scarce. Aim To co-produce a reproductive health intervention to prevent early and unplanned pregnancy among CEYP, which is relevant, and responsive to their specific needs. Objectives: 1. To establish what interventions are most effective for preventing early pregnancy amongst young people in the general population. 2. To explore experiences of delivering and receiving reproductive health support for CEYP and barriers and enablers to this. 3. To identify how interventions that have been successful in the general population may be adapted to be more relevant to CEYP 4. To co-produce a reproductive health intervention and intervention logic model which may be implementable in Children s Social Care (CSC). 5. To develop a research protocol for piloting and evaluating the intervention in a future research project. Methods This study takes a mixed methods approach, including the following work packages (WP): WP 1: A systematic review of systematic reviews that synthesise the body of evidence on effective interventions for preventing early pregnancy among young people. WP 2: Qualitative interviews and focus groups with CEYP, their carers, and practitioners who support them examining experiences of delivering and receiving reproductive health support for CEYP. WP 3: Co-production workshops separately with CEYP, their caregivers and practitioners who support them in participatory workshops to develop a reproductive health intervention for CEYP. Timelines for delivery The project duration is 24 months. Anticipated Impact and Dissemination Study findings will be disseminated to a wide social care practice and policy audience and achieve impact through regional, national, and international networks, through: A live illustration and comic A dissemination event with CEYP Policy and Practice briefings Lay summaries A minimum of two peer-reviewed open access academic journal articles and one regional or national social care focused conference. We will apply for further funding to test and evaluate the effectiveness of the intervention.