Table 1 Table showing the development of analytical themes identified through interviews with mentees and mentors

Recruitment and referral process: LA staff

1. Protective professionals: protecting vulnerable young women

Actual recruitment criteria used by LA

Perspectives on the prescribed study recruitment criteria

Understanding of the study recruitment criteria

Recruitment material distribution

1. Variables interpretations of recruitment criteria

Recruitment material format & content

2. Attitudes and perceptions of trials: LAC and care leavers

Randomisation

3. Recruiting and retaining mentees

Barriers to recruitment

4. Recruiting and retaining mentors

Recruitment and referral process: young women

5. Acceptability of the intervention for LAC

2. Engaging and staying engaged (attachment, relationships and the mentoring intervention)

Methods of promoting the study to young women

Engagement

Changing nature of mentor-mentee relationship

Matching

Meaning and purpose of mentoring

Mentor diary

Mentees feelings towards mentor

Mentoring intervention incentives

Mentors feelings towards mentee

Nature of mentor-mentee contacts

Topics of discussion

Views on structure & content of a

mentoring programme for LAC

Methods of promoting the study to LA staff

6. Attitudes and perceptions of trials: social care professionals

3. Protective professionals: prioritising more important work

Conducting or participating in non-CARMEN study research

7. Lack of LA research infrastructure

4. Cultural resistance

Participating in CARMEN study

Research into teenage pregnancy among LAC

Research outcomes

5. Structural deficits