Shine Magazine, Issue 1, February 2010 - Department of Education ...

eSeArcHHelping teenagemums return to schoolNew research proves the fi rst high school in Victoria to have its own child care centrefor student mothers really is making a difference.CorIo BaY Senior College (CBSC) encourages youngand expecting parents to continue their education byproviding flexible learning options that encompasspractical support. the Young Parents access Program(YPaP) aims to make the transition back to schooleasier, with intensive case management and on-sitechild care.Corio norlane was identified as a neighbourhoodrenewal site in December 2002 in recognition thatthese communities experience high levels of social,economic, physical and environmental disadvantage.In 2007 DeeCD commenced planning for the Corionorlane education regeneration Project underthe Building Futures policy framework, which putsimproved educational outcomes for students at thecore of all planning and investment decisions.Young parents have tobalance the needs of theirchildren with the demandsof schooling as well assatisfying their own needsto retain social contact withtheir peers.Challenges confronting teenage mothers in Corioare complex. not only do they face the same tasksas other teenagers in negotiating the risks of schoolcompletion and transition from school to sustainableemployment or further education and training,but they also face the challenges of negotiating thetransition to adulthood and first-time parenthoodunder conditions of social and economic disadvantage(Shacklock, harrison & angwin 2007).YPaP is one local response to this multifacetedchallenge. the objectives of the program are toretain, re-attract and support young parents intothe education system; improve education levels andfuture educational and employment opportunities andimprove the parenting skills of the students. YPaP isalso committed to providing positive role modellingfor the parents and their children, life skill educationto the parents; and opportunities for CBSC childcare students to use the child care centre for workplacements (armstrong 2003).When mapping the establishment of YPaP,researchers from Deakin University investigatedthe teaching and learning needs of young parentsreturning to school and found that they faced specifichurdles. Many had been out of school for considerableperiods of time and often did not have the literacy,numeracy, ICt and life skills to enable successfultransition into a Year 11–12 learning environment(angwin, harrison, Shacklock & Kamp 2004; 2006).the research team also identified access to child careas a real challenge for young parents. the collegerecognised that even if places were available incommunity child care, the logistics of taking up anavailable place without access to transport createda disincentive to school attendance (Shacklock,harrison & angwin 2007).In response to this challenge the college becamethe only Victorian secondary school to feature anaccredited on-site child care centre, built with the helpof a Community Facilities Fund grant and opened in2003. the centre is the cornerstone of YPaP, makingit easier for more young parents to stay at school orreturn to school after several years out of the system.the early research into YPaP also identified the needfor stronger evidence on what counts as best practicein meeting the needs of young parents. to investigatehow it can best support these students during theirtransition back to school, Corio Bay Senior Collegeobtained a grant from the Department’s 2009–10Practitioner-led research Program. the college wasinterested in adopting a holistic approach, whichinterconnects curriculum and pedagogical reformwith welfare and support needs.Shine Feb 2010 23