Teenage Pregnancy Research Report - 3p Consulting

EducationInternationally and nationally an explicit objective ofpolicy makers and service providers is to increase theproportion of teen parents in education and/or trainingwith the ultimate aim of participation in the workforce. 17As such, research has focused on understanding barriersthat confront young parents when they try to continuewith or to re-engage in their education and/or training andmany of these are detailed in the Pregnancy section ofthis review.In summary the barriers discussed can be seen as eitherstructural/institutional and/or as an outcome of individualexperiences, particularly early disengagement fromschool. In addition to barriers faced by pregnant teens,young parents are also of course parenting and this maymean a gap or delay in returning to school. It may andusually does also mean that additional practical supportsare needed for a young person with a baby than whenshe was pregnant.Other key areas identified in the report included uniforms,furniture, breast/bottle feeding and nappy changingareas, support for young fathers, etc.Despite the structural barriers to continuing with educationsome pregnant and parenting school-aged women docontinue to engage in education. The Shine report foundthat those young people who did stay in the educationsystem had tangible goals that required them to remainat school. Furthermore nearly half were clear that theyneeded to stay at school so they could access highereducation. The researchers conclude that there is a needfor educational programs that academically prepare themfor further study and that “It illustrated a genuine concernwith ‘alternative’ educational pathways that provide youngmothers with subjects that focus on their mothering andhome-making skills, rather than providing the skills andknowledge to achieve educational or employment goals.”Service sector responses to engaging young parents ineducation include efforts to change the existing schoolstructures and systems to accommodate young parentsor to establish specific education/training programs thattarget pregnant or parenting teenagers. 18Within Australia, for example, the Shine project, HealthyYoung Parents in Education, provided a series ofrecommendations designed to overcome barriers and tosupport pregnant and parenting teens to access the publiceducation system. 19 While the final report gave a numberof recommendations related to health and educationdepartmental services, there were also practical strategiesput forward by young parents that they nominated as crucialelements needed to help support them stay at school. Thestrategies encapsulate the outcomes of research andshow that young parents require both practical supportsand an encouraging culture and environment to maintaintheir schooling. They were:• The importance of providing education that meetsthe social and intellectual needs of the student,while also acknowledging the student’s parentingresponsibilities;• Allowing newborns (not toddlers) to be with the motherin class when and if necessary;• Good quality and site-specific childcare;• Accessible and regular public or school-basedtransport provision; and• The importance of a pregnant and parenting friendlyculture within the school. 2081