Teen Pregnancy Prevention Among Youth in Foster Care: The Young Adult Perspective

With support from the Annie E. Casey Foundation, Casey Family Services and Jim Casey Youth Opportunities, and in collaboration with Healthy Teen Network, The National Campaign hosted an interactive roundtable meeting in April 2009 to increase action by states and other organizations to reduce teen pregnancy among youth in and aging out of foster care. Part of that meeting included a panel discussion with a group of former youth in foster care sharing their perspectives on teen pregnancy. Hear what Jeremy, Jonnie, Lisetta, and Rob had to say (panel moderation by Kristen Tertzakian, Consultant for The National Campaign).

 

		PANEL DISCUSSION - VIDEO 1 (4m49s) Who is the best source of information about reproductive health, sex, relationships, and pregnancy?
		PANEL DISCUSSION - VIDEO 2 (3m17s) What do you think is the most useful and/or important information that adults can give youth on this topic?
		PANEL DISCUSSION - VIDEO 3 (4m43s) Did you feel like you friends and peers know how to find a doctor, did they know about condoms, did there seem to be a lot of misinformation out there, did you feel as if the education that you and your peers got was adequate-did people know where to get more information? When is the best time to talk to youth about these topics?
		PANEL DISCUSSION - VIDEO 4 (6m15s) In your opinion, do the advantages of having a child outweigh the disadvantages? And whose responsibility is it to prevent pregnancy?  The girl’s or the guy’s?
		PANEL DISCUSSION - VIDEO 5 (2m48s) Are there any resources or services related to teen pregnancy that you wish you had more information about, or were more available?
		Q&A DISCUSSION - VIDEO 1 (5m43s) Did the medical professionals that you encountered growing up initiate conversations with you about sexual activity/sexual decision making?
		Q&A DISCUSSION - VIDEO 2 (5m13s) In our state we are facing many youth with repeat pregnancies, what would you recommend as some of the deterrents for repeat pregnancies and how can we break that cycle of not coming into the system?
		Q&A DISCUSSION - VIDEO 3 (4m38s) Are there positive ways we might use technology to communicate with youth about these issues in ways that we have not thought about? And to what extend has connections with siblings and extended family members influenced your decisions regarding sexual activity?
		Q&A DISCUSSION - VIDEO 4 (3m42s) What are your thoughts on how to reach young men?
		Q&A DISCUSSION - VIDEO 5 (2m37s) Where do you see yourself 10 years from now?
		Q&A DISCUSSION - VIDEO 6 (6m46s) What would you say to the youth in foster care who have lost hope?
		Q&A DISCUSSION - VIDEO 7 (3m19s) If you could change one thing in the child welfare system, what would it be?