A group of young Herefordshire parents have successfully completed a unique course which prepares them for parenthood.
Herefordshire has one of the most successful YMTB (young mums to be) programmes in the country with its learners gaining well above average levels of achievement. The programme is designed to prepare young prospective parents for birth and parenthood, encouraging their independence, boosting their basic skills, motivating them to breastfeed their babies and helping them plan for their future education, employment and training.
Based at the Green Croft Children's Centre, partnership agencies work together to successfully deliver individual parts of the programme. Midwives, health visitors, youth workers, housing and family support workers are all involved in helping the young mums complete the course, put together their portfolios and achieve a Skills for Life Competence award from the national awarding body, NCFE.
Three of the mums are now training to become peer breastfeeding supporters, one is a registered childminder and one has gone back to college full-time. Two young mums from one of the groups have been into a secondary school with the school nurse to tell the pupils about the realities of young parenthood.
The young mums who have to complete 12 units of the programme
say they benefit from the course and feel better able to cope with
parenthood as a result. The units include sections on money
management, communication skills, healthy lifestyle, and life
skills related to parenting, as well as future planning with regard
to training, education and work.
The latest course members to complete their portfolios of work were
presented with their awards on Wednesday June 11th, 10.30am at the
Left Bank Conference Centre by Dr Sharon Menghini, Herefordshire
Council's director of children's services.
Councillor Jenny Hyde, cabinet member for children and young
people, said: "The young parents who get involved in the programme
are inspirational. Not only have they learned new skills, they
have been eager to give something back by helping other young
people and challenging the stereotype of teenage parenthood.
"Many of them have formed strong friendships with others on the
course and continue attending the postnatal group which is run by
health visitors once their babies have been born.
"We are very proud of the successes of our young people."