Sexual and reproductive health protective factors among adolescents with child welfare involvement

•About one-third (35%) of participants reported ever receiving education or information on birth control, and less than half (42%) reported knowing how to access these services if they wanted.•Still, youth reported protective sexual and reproductive health (SRH) attitudes; specifically, high confidence in their ability to avoid sex when not desired, strong peer norms for condoms, and few perceived benefits to unprotected sex.•Gender and age had the strongest associations with birth control knowledge and SRH attitudes; males (compared to females) and adolescents 12- to 13-years-old (compared to 14- to 15-years-old) reported less birth control knowledge and fewer protective attitudes.•Though research documents a host of SRH risk for youth with child welfare involvement, this sample also possessed substantial SRH protection.•Interventions, services, and professionals can help youth navigate a healthy adolescence by building upon the protective attributes that youth already possess and by bridging barriers to SRH services and education.