Survey Data Related to Risks of Early Motherhood

Question

A researcher here at York is interested in information on experiences of motherhood among adolescent girls in child welfare and or youth justice. Specifically, she is interested in recent survey data dealing with risks and health outcomes of early motherhood for this vulnerable population. We spent some time searching this morning, looking for these kinds of data, and managed to find some elements of it in the CCHS and NPHS, but nothing quite like what she really wants. Since it's entirely possible we missed something, is there someone in STC with whom she could discuss this in greater detail?

Answer

To the best of my knowledge, StatCan hasn't published or collected data on this specific topic. We have a number of publications on teenage pregnancy and its outcomes but these aren't specifically on adolescent girls in child welfare and youth services. The following articles and reference guide are the closest matches as I know of and may be of interest to the researcher. If she has specific questions about these publications and the data on which they are based, I would be pleased to consult the authors and divisions that published these products to obtain additional information for her or refer her to them directly if this would be more helpful.

Teenage pregnancy: Guide to the latest information
http://www.statcan.gc.ca/search-recherche/bb/info/3000020-eng.htm

The reference guide includes links to these publications:

Life after teenage motherhood
Perspectives on Labour and Income, May 2008, Catalogue no. 75-001-XWE, Vol. 9, No. 5.

Second or subsequent births to teenagers
Health Reports, February 2007, Catalogue no. 82-003-XWE, Vol. 18, No. 1.

Teenage pregnancy
Health Reports, Winter 2000, Catalogue no. 82-003-XIE, Vol. 12, No. 1.

I will have a closer look at the documentation for a few more surveys to see if I can locate sources that would cover this specific topic and will follow up with more information shortly.