And how is it that foster teens...

And how is it that foster teens become pregnant in the first place? The short answer is that often no one tells them about the “birds and the bees” before babies arrive.

A spokesman for the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services admits, incredibly, “We have no formal policy” on sex education. Some foster parents do what any conscientious parent would do: They talk with the children in their homes about human reproduction, birth control, abstinence and sexually transmitted diseases. But many foster parents and social workers simply say nothing about these critical issues, out of embarrassment, negligence or the belief that it’s not their job. Saying nothing only ensures that more vulnerable teens, many of whom were molested as children, will have their own children.

The obvious first step in reducing teenage parenthood is to make sure that every child in the county’s care learns the facts of life from a caring, responsible adult -- not behind the bleachers. Teens need to know that they have a right to condoms or birth control pills, and if they become pregnant but can’t handle a baby, to an abortion.

County officials acknowledge the problem and, albeit belatedly, have convened a working group to identify solutions. Representatives from local child advocacy groups, the foster care department, the county counsel’s office and the lawyers who represent foster children will meet next week. Their goal is to make sure that information on sexual development and family planning reaches all foster children before they become sexually active. Meeting that goal may mean training caregivers and social workers on how to talk with teens about these sensitive topics, and partnerships with public health agencies. Most of all, it will require a new mind-set by county officials who for too long have believed that if no one talked about sex, teens wouldn’t engage in it.