from YAPRap July-August 2007
by Isabel Seidel, YAPA Feature Writer
The Shoalhaven region is on the east coast of NSW, centred on Nowra, and extending from Berry in the north to Bawley Point in the South. Many of the small towns and villages in the region are isolated from key services and for young parents living in the region it can be even more isolating when there is such poor public transport.
How did YPEIPP begin?
The project followed on from the Young Parents Speak Out Project. The outcome of the project was the production of a video and booklet exploring the experiences of young parents. There were 52 young parents engaged in the project and it was felt there was a need to provide a follow on project. The young parents identified the need for a parenting education program.
The program was successful in receiving the Department of Family and Community Services and Indigenous Affairs Early Intervention Parenting funding for 2001 – 2004. Further FACSIA Reach funding was secured to continue the project until the end of this year. The program is auspiced by the Shoalhaven Division of General Practice.
What is YPEIPP?
The YPEIPP program is a prevention and early intervention program assisting young parents and their children through a program of information, education and collaboration. YPEIPP Program Coordinator Kim Oliver said YPEIPP looks at empowering young parents, upskilling service providers in the community that support parents, and encourage a better coordinated approach to meeting the needs of young parents. The program targets young parents aged 14-24 years old.
The four components of YPEIPP program include:
- Triple P Training for GPs and Service Providers
- Young Parents Parenting Network
- Young Parents Parenting Workshops
- Parenting 1–to–1 Support Program.
Triple P Training for GP's and Service Providers
Triple P training brought together 35 GPs, Koori workers, Family Support Workers and Early Childhood nurses to provide local GPs and service providers with the practical knowledge needed to deliver parenting and behavioural change interventions and consistent parenting advice.
Young Parents Parenting Network
The young parents network is made up of 30 agencies in the region who meet 2-3 times per year to advocate for the needs of young families. The network does many things such as helping to form partnerships with local services, strengthening the links between services and general practice and providing input into the design and delivery of the young parents parenting workshops. The network has been an important
component of the project and has created a more coordinated approach to early intervention strategies across the region.
Young Parents Parenting Workshops
The young parents parenting workshops aim to develop young parents' knowledge and skills in the care of their children. Also, to increase young parents knowledge of the support services available to them. A focus group of young parents who participated in the Young Parents Speak Out Project were consulted to determine the topics of interest, how many sessions and length of time the workshops would go for. Further consultations followed with young parents, network members, Koori young parents and Koori service providers to determine the content and delivery structure of the workshops.
The result was the creation of a workshop involving 2 sessions which run for 3 hours. The workshops combine group discussion, video, didactic and demonstrations. They are free and facilitated by Triple – P trained GPs and other service providers in the community. All young parents are offered free transport and childcare which helps encourage parents to come along. There are only places for ten young parents in the workshops because of childcare limitations but this also makes the groups much more intimate and less intimidating for young parents. The workshops content generally includes:
Session 1 – positive parenting overview, child development, food and nutrition and promoting healthy relationships, child safety and creative play. The young parents get to choose the topic for the next session.
Session 2 – Causes of behaviour problems, how to prevention problem behaviours, management of misbehaviour, topics to work through the management of specific behaviour issues, the value of books and summing up and evaluations.
One of the great additions to the workshops is the parenting resource kit that each young parent receives as well as a play pack! Young parents love them!
Parenting 1–to–1 Support Program
The program provides young parents with additional support with their parenting by offering six hours of either face-to-face or telephone support to work on specific behaviour problems with an early childhood teacher with Triple P training.
What has made YPEIPP so successful?
The YPEIPP Program Coordinator Kim Oliver said “because the program works in close partnership with service providers it makes it easier to target young parents, as they already have a good relationship with the young parents and the service providers involvement with the workshops means they are more willing to encourage the young parents to attend”.
Providing transport and childcare is helpful in getting parents to the course. And of course providing lots of incentives such as great food, lucky door prizes and parenting resources.
If a youth service is interested in setting up YPEIPP they will need:
- A strong network of service providers
- An evidence based framework such as Triple P with a broad range of service providers trained
- To reduce all barriers to young parents such as provide no charges to young parents, free resources and free transport and childcare
- Workshops that are informal and relaxed.
What does the future look like for YPEIPP?
Kim said the program keeps getting better, with new and creative ideas. She said they recently had a fathers fishing and parenting workshop with well known fishing identity Steve Starling. The workshop provided great tips on making fishing fun and safe for kids as well as providing advice on creating positive relationships with your child and advice on how to prevent misbehaviour. The workshop was held in Sussex Inlet and with great weather and a practical workshop the fathers had a great time as well as learnt a lot!
The response from fathers was tremendous with 11 participating on the day and a further 27 on a waiting list for future workshops. Feedback was also fantastic and reflects their appreciation for having something a little different that was just for them. Comments such as ‘learnt something about myself, how I influence my children', ‘was sceptical prior to coming – thoroughly informative and enjoyable', and ‘brilliant' were just some of the great responses received.
YPEIPP has secured funding until June 2008 so it's good news for all the young parents in the region – there will continue to be fun parenting workshops!
More information
Kim Oliver
YPEIPP Program Coordinator
02 4423 6233
kim@sdgp.org.au
