“Taking it day by day”: Maternity group homes in the lives of mothers aging out of foster care

Abstract

BackgroundPregnant and parenting teens aging out of foster care, and their children are high-risk groups that require access to comprehensive services. Using a resilience framework, this study examined one mechanism to serve the population: maternity group homes. Despite interest in meeting the needs of these young families, little is known about maternity group home services and the impact for mothers and their children. ObjectiveThis study aimed to understand maternity home characteristics, strengths, and challenges from mothers’ and providers’ perspectives. MethodData were collected from qualitative interviews with maternity group home providers (N = 16) and young mothers aging out of foster care (N = 25) and analyzed using thematic analysis. ResultsFindings reflected four themes: (1) adversity, crisis, and rejection, (2) tension between useful programs and structured delivery, (3) unfulfilled aspirations for connections, and (4) slow progress towards independence. Mothers desired independent living skills, supportive relationships, and successful transitions to adulthood. Providers shared these goals for mothers. Past trauma, chronic adversity, and instability interfered with mothers’ ability to fully capitalize on maternity home programs. ConclusionMaternity homes are important resources for pregnant and parenting teens aging out of foster care. Yet, residency did not universally support mothers. Specifically, mothers living in maternity homes face high levels of adversity and instability which may interfere with their ability to harness protective factors. To improve outcomes, mothers may benefit from opportunities to gradually build trust and increase responsibility with extended stay eligibility to prepare for independent living.