Infant Safe Haven Laws: A Study About Knowledge, Attitudes, and Experiences Among Montclair State University Students
Presentation Type
Poster
Faculty Advisor
Emily Douglas
Access Type
Event
Start Date
26-4-2024 12:45 PM
End Date
26-4-2024 1:44 PM
Description
Safe haven laws (SHLs) provide a method for parents to legally relinquish their infants at designated locations with the aim of preventing infant abandonment and promoting child welfare. Despite their importance, awareness and understanding of these laws among the general public, and especially young adults, remains understudied. The present study assesses the knowledge, attitudes, education, and experiences pertaining to SHLs among Montclair State University (MSU) students. A quantitative approach with a few open ended questions was administered through a Qualtrics survey to gather data from a sample of MSU students; 104 students completed the survey in spring 2024. Preliminary results show that 47.4% of students knew about SHLs and 96.2% viewed them favorably. There was strong support for increasing public education about SHLs (90.4%), including in high school (88.5%), and in various community locations. Respondents projected moderately strong support from their peers (60.6%) if relinquished an infant, with less support from family (28.9%) regarding the use of SHLs. This research will tell us what needs to be done regarding informing educational initiatives and outreach efforts aimed at raising awareness and promoting understanding of SHLs among college communities.
Infant Safe Haven Laws: A Study About Knowledge, Attitudes, and Experiences Among Montclair State University Students
Safe haven laws (SHLs) provide a method for parents to legally relinquish their infants at designated locations with the aim of preventing infant abandonment and promoting child welfare. Despite their importance, awareness and understanding of these laws among the general public, and especially young adults, remains understudied. The present study assesses the knowledge, attitudes, education, and experiences pertaining to SHLs among Montclair State University (MSU) students. A quantitative approach with a few open ended questions was administered through a Qualtrics survey to gather data from a sample of MSU students; 104 students completed the survey in spring 2024. Preliminary results show that 47.4% of students knew about SHLs and 96.2% viewed them favorably. There was strong support for increasing public education about SHLs (90.4%), including in high school (88.5%), and in various community locations. Respondents projected moderately strong support from their peers (60.6%) if relinquished an infant, with less support from family (28.9%) regarding the use of SHLs. This research will tell us what needs to be done regarding informing educational initiatives and outreach efforts aimed at raising awareness and promoting understanding of SHLs among college communities.