Treoir Newsletter August 2008

Information for Young Parents in Education
This new edition has been expanded on the previous one and there is now a separate section on Financial Supports for Higher Education. Other contents include a list of Youth Cafés, Young Parents Programmes, General Financial Supports, Back to Education/Training, Childcare and a list of useful organisations. For pregnant students attention is also drawn to the Home Tuition Scheme and Exams during Labour.

With the approaching school year this publication will be useful to young parents who are considering entering or re-entering education. Our experience of working with young parents is that they are most anxious to be the best providers they can be for their families and are keen to increase their employment possibilities. The publication aims to assist them in this.

The booklet is available free of charge from Treoir, info@treoir.ie, LoCall: 1890 252 084 or 01 – 6700 120. It can also be downloaded from www.treoir.ie in the publications section.

Student Parent Co-Ordinator in Mary Immaculate College in Limerick.
Nicola Hurley is the Student Parent Co-Ordinator in Mary Immaculate College in Limerick. This is a 3 year pilot project which is being funded by the Crisis Pregnancy Agency and it is the first of its kind in terms of pregnancy and parenting support at third level.
In a nutshell, through the provision of practical information and emotional support, Nicola is the first point of contact for students in the College experiencing crisis pregnancy, and student parents, in the event of them experiencing difficulties in any area of student life. Nicola also does pre-entry work with student parents, in terms of organising childcare or helping them with any queries they may have prior to commencing college in September.
Nicola’s role includes:
¬ To be the first point of contact for student parents
¬ To offer support & information to student parents
¬ Availability on a one-to-one basis to support student parents and those experiencing crisis pregnancy to ensure that the best possible regime is put in place to assist them in their course of study in the College
¬ The provision of assistance in the organisation of living accommodation & childcare for students and their children
¬ To ensure that student parents are receiving their correct social welfare entitlements and any other supports which they may need.
Nicola is in the College on Mondays and Tuesdays. Tel: 087-9501160
email: nicola.hurley@mic.ul.ie
web: www.mic.ul.ie/studentparentni

Parliamentary Questions on Young Parents

Brian Hayes, T.D., Fine Gael spokesperson on Education and Science, asked the then Minister for Education and Science if her attention had been drawn to the number of students within second level education who are young parents; the supports available for these students; and if she would make a statement on the matter.

The written answer from the Minister for Education and Science (Mary Hanafin, T.D.) on Tuesday 22nd April, 2008 was as follows:
“While figures on the number of teen parents in second level are not readily available, the most recent CSO figures indicate 2,362 teen births in 2006. Of these, 1,254 were to mothers aged 18 years or younger.

For young parents of school-going age, the most pressing issues are considered to be a sensitive response to their needs, appropriate counselling/mentoring and medical assistance, minimal disruption of tuition, and appropriate access to childcare.

Individual circumstances will differ and accordingly, school management practice will vary from case to case. Generally, when it comes to the attention of the school that a pupil is pregnant, the school authorities check to ensure that the girl is receiving appropriate medical assistance and counselling advice. Schools endeavour to be sensitive and understanding to the girl’s needs while trying to ensure that her education is not neglected.

Home tuition is provided to pregnant schoolgirls who are absent from school during the later stages of pregnancy or immediately following the birth of a baby when attendance may be impractical. In 2006/07, home tuition was approved for 69 pregnant girls attending post primary schools, while in 2007/08 school year to date, home tuition has been approved for 59 pregnant girls attending post primary schools.

Funding has been committed in 2008 for the education element of 8 Teenage Parenting Support projects as a specific gender element of the School Completion Programme under DEIS in preventing early school leaving among teenage mothers. Approximately, 1000 young parents are targeted by the Teen Parents Support Programme (TPSP). In 2006, there were 412 new referrals to TPSP, of which 23% (95) were in second level at the time of referral. The programme also supported 13 young fathers in 2006.

Links have been established between local School Completion projects in these areas, assisted by the SCP National Coordination Team and the Teenage Parenting Support Initiative Coordinators. The aim of these projects is to enable young women who are pregnant and young mothers to stay in second level education and to progress on to third level education or training. The Project does this by providing individual support, information and grinds where necessary. Young people participating in Teen Parenting Support Programmes are targeted in-school, out-of-school and in higher/further education, giving them the opportunity to reach their full potential through continued participation in education and training. This will improve their life opportunities and reduce the likelihood of the young family experiencing poverty and social exclusion and being long-term dependants on state support.

Greater affordability of childcare, linked to the creation of additional childcare places, has been a key principle in both the previous and current National Development Plans. This Government has provided unprecedented levels of funding for childcare in recent years. €499.3 million was allocated to the Equal Opportunities Childcare Programme (EOCP) 2000-2006 and some 41,000 places will have been created by the time the programme finishes. Going forward, childcare provision will continue to attract substantial investment under the new National Childcare Investment Programme 2006-2010. €575m has been allocated to the new programme, which will be administered by the office of the Minister for Children and aims to provide a proactive response to the development of quality childcare services by supporting the creation of an additional 50,000 places. This Government also introduced Early Childcare Supplement of €1,000 per child under six to help parents with childcare costs.

The Government discussion paper, “Proposals for Supporting Lone Parents,” put forward proposals for the expanded availability and range of education and training opportunities for lone parents; the extension of the national employment action plan to focus on lone parents; focused provision of childcare; improved information services for lone parents and the introduction of a new social assistance payment for low income families with young children.
A working group, comprised of officials from across a range of Government Departments, on which my Department is represented, is currently working on an implementation plan to progress the non-income recommendations. Work on the development of this implementation plan is progressing. Issues including access to childcare support, education, training and activation measures continue to be discussed with the relevant Departments and Agencies

In this regard, my Department is at present
co-operating with the Department of Social and Family Affairs, the Office of the Minister for Children and FÁS in testing the non-income activation proposals in Coolock in Dublin and in Kilkenny.”

In a written response to a different Parliamentary Question, also by Brian Hayes, T.D., on the number of claimants for lone parents support in the age group 16 – 19 years and in particular those who are attending post primary education the Department of Social and Family Affairs produced the following table:
Age (as at 1 April
2008)Number of
recipients of OFP 15 years or younger15 16 years69 17 years208 18 years499 19 years992 20 years1,637 Total3,420
The Department went on to say that “during the 2006/7 academic year a total of 1,547 people in receipt of One-parent Family Payment availed of the BTEA scheme with 492 people participating in the second level option. In the same period a total of 424 people between age 18 and 20 from various social welfare payments qualified for the Back to Education Scheme. Currently there are 37 people aged 18 – 20 years who are in receipt of One-parent Family Payment benefiting from the BTEA administered by this department.”

Waterford Student Mothers’ Group Ltd Annual Report for 2006
The aim of this group is “to provide support through second level education, which offers choices
and opportunities to the young teenage mother and her child”.
In 2006, 17 second level students availed of the service, ranging in age from 14 to 18 years. Students are seen individually in schools, their homes or cafes. Three trips were organised throughout the year for the parents and children. The most common issues that came up for the students included:
• Worries around childcare providers • Childcare costs • Catching up on school work and study time in the evening • Balancing the care of a small child • Changed relationships with peers/classmates.
News
TPSP News
TPSP News

16th International Conference on Health Promoting Hospitals and Health Services
The Galway TPSP was represented at the above conference which was organised by the WHO and partner organisations in Berlin May 14-16th 2008 and attended by delegates from throughout Europe, the US, Australia and Asia. The Galway TPSP is based in the Social Work Department of University Hospital Galway and Aileen Davies, Project Leader, gave an oral presentation on its philosophy, model, work activities and outcomes. Among the outcomes from the TPSP Aileen emphasised:
? A general feeling of happiness with parenthood
? Improved participation in education and
Increased access to and understanding of services.

Aileen also delivered a poster presentation on behalf of Claire Thynne whose Ph.D thesis explored the meaning of late disclosure of pregnancy from the ‘insider’ perspective of the women who experience it. Claire’s study was based on a sample of women from University Hospital Galway. Claire found that late disclosure was more common for women from a rural background and women who feared a negative parental reaction. Comparing a sample who had delayed disclosure of pregnancy with a normative sample she found that birth weights were lower in those who had delayed disclosure. Further information can be obtained from Aileen Davies on 091-544960. Full conference proceedings can be downloaded from: http://www.univie.ac.at/hph/berlin2008/php/proceedings.php

Father Focus Project
The Teen Parents Support Programme in Co. Louth has been working on a year long project funded by the Crisis Pregnancy Agency to develop a range of resource materials for those working with young fathers. In co-operation with an outside independent company the Project has developed a resource pack for fathers aged 16-25 years of age which explores areas such as Parenting as a New Experience, Pregnancy and Birth, Coping with Stress and the Legal Situation of Fathers. A wide range of consultations with stakeholders, workers in the area and young fathers was undertaken to assess the needs of young fathers in Co. Louth.
An Information Booklet outlining the positive impact fathers have on the development of their children together with helpful tips on Nutrition, Self-Esteem and Relationships will also be available in antenatal clinics and health centres in Co. Louth.
In addition a Key Findings Report will be disseminated to senior managers and key policy makers outlining the importance of working with young fathers. The above materials are in the final stages of production with plans to launch them in late September.
For further information on the Father Focus Project contact Joanne Murphy, Programme Leader, TPSP on 041-9875273

Margaret Morris, National Co-ordinator TPSP
Tel 6700167 tpsp@treoir.ie

Treoir
The National Federation of Services for Unmarried Parents and their Children
14 Gandon House
Custom House Square
IFSC
Dublin 1
Tel: 003531 6700 120 LO CALL 1890 252 084
Fax: 003531 6700 199
email: info@treoir.ie
www.treoir.ie
Treoir, the national federation of services for unmarried parents and their children, is a company limited by guarantee not having a share capital, registered in Dublin, Ireland, registered company number 82321.
The registered office is at 14, Gandon House, Custom House Square, IFSC, Dublin 1.

Treoir is also a charity with CHY number 8877.

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