Me, myself and I: perceptions of social capital for mothers ageing out of the child welfare system Melissa Radey*, Lisa Schelbe*, Lenore M. McWey† and Kendal Holtrop† *Florida State University, College of Social Work, Tallahassee, FL, USA, and †Florida State University, College of Human Sciences, Tallahassee, FL, USA Correspondence: Melissa Radey, Florida State University, College of Social Work, 296 Champions Way, Tallahassee, FL, 32306, USA. Email: mradey@fsu.edu Keywords: child welfare, leaving care, parenting/parenthood, social support, unmarried mothers Accepted for publication: July 2016 ABSTRACT Youth ageing out of the child welfare system become parents at rates two to three times higher than their non-child welfare system involved peers. Substantial literature acknowledges that youth ageing out who are parenting are vulnerable; yet, little is known about their lived experiences. Social capital, or the actual or potential resources available from one’s network, can provide essential resources for the wellbeing of parents ageing out. This qualitative study examined social capital of mothers ageing out from the perspectives of both mothers and service providers. We conducted small group interviews with 13 mothers ageing out and 14 service providers. Data were analysed using thematic analysis. Findings revealed the use of a social capital framework delineates that mothers lacked beneficial social relationships and, consequently, support. A lack of trust coupled with a desire to break intergenerational patterns and norms contributed to understanding why mothers ageing out may not capitalize on resources that providers often considered available. Based on findings, we conclude that providing mothers ageing out with additional opportunities to develop trust, positive relationships with mentors and extended services may help to disrupt intergenerational patterns of maltreatment and promote child and family wellbeing. MOTHERS AGEING OUT OF THE CHILD WELFARE SYSTEM Youth ageing out of the child welfare system are signifi- cantly more likely than their peers to become parents at an early age. Studies have found that young women ageing out become mothers at rates two to three times higher than their non-child welfare system involved peers (Courtney & Dworsky 2006; Shpiegel & Cascardi 2015). The Midwest Study found that 33% of woman ageing out had been pregnant by age 18, and almost 50% had been pregnant by age 19, compared with 13.5% and 20% of their peers, respectively (Dworsky & Courtney 2010). Additionally, repeat teen pregnancy rates among youth ageing out are higher than those of the general population (46% vs. 34%; Dworsky 2015). The high rates of youth ageing out who become mothers, or ‘mothers ageing out,’ is concerning because of the challenging transition out of care youth already face before the additional responsibility of caring for a child. In addition, mothers ageing out may lack adequate skills and resources to care for a child. Indeed, studies provide evidence that mothers ageing out face higher rates of child protective services involvement and child removal (Dworsky 2015). These struggles are not unexpected, considering many mothers ageing out have multiple risk factors that are associated with child maltreatment including adolescent parenting (e.g. Stevens-Simon et al. 2001), poverty (e.g. Berger 2004) and parental history of child maltreatment (e.g. Pears & Capaldi 2001). Despite the vulnerabilities that mothers ageing out face, limited research has examined their day-to- day experiences negotiating survival and parenthood in the midst of ageing out (Radey et al. 2016). Child and Family Social Work 2017, 22, pp 981–991 © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd 981 doi:10.1111/cfs.12318