[Sub ID 4870] Young Parent Hub (Drummond Street Services)
Submission ID: 4870
Organisation name: Drummond Street Services
Which priority group of the Try, Test and Learn Fund does your idea support?
Young parents
What need or issue are you trying to address?
Young parents who transition to parenthood during adolescence face increased risks of mental illness, family violence, social isolation and repeat pregnancies, compared with adult populations. If these fundamental barriers to economic participation are not addressed, it can result in the inter-generational transmission of welfare dependence.
Issues to be addressed include:
- Young women’s disengagement from school during pregnancy.
- Young parents requiring comprehensive support addressing health, life, economic and social needs in order to maintain strong connections to education, training or employment.
- A Rapid Repeat Pregnancy (RRP) within two years reduces the likelihood of ever re-engaging with education. Parents who experience RRP are likely to remain welfare dependent throughout their lifetime.
- Children of young parents are vulnerable to a range of health and well-being risks and are more likely to be teen parents themselves and face unemployment or underemployment as an adult. Addressing infant health and well-being early (including healthy attachment relationships and parenting), can help mitigate the risk of adverse developmental outcomes and associated problems including inter-generational welfare dependency.
- Education and employment support must understand the complexities of young parenthood and assist young parents overcome multiple and complex barriers.
What is your idea?
Drummond street services and the Royal Women’s Hospital will partner in an Engagement/Education/Employment Hub for young parents in Melbourne. This one-stop-shop of connected and holistic support will focus on addressing parent/infant/child health and relationships with tailored participation plans for each young parent. Support will include pre/post natal care, parenting and resilience programs, in-school support and alternative education options.
Support will be provided by a team of multidisciplinary health, educational, parenting, youth and employment professionals, who will provide intensive and enhanced care, throughout the key developmental stages- it is anticipated this this support will long-term during 0-5yrs – key stage for both child and parent.
The program will offer mentoring education and employment support by specialist youth employment support workers. Support workers and cross age tutors will help young parents map out employment pathways, gain valuable skills in writing CVs, provide training for job interviews as well as more general job skills training. Support workers will collaborate with schools to establish education plans and will operate as an alternative learning centre for those who are unable to attend their school of origin as a result of their pregnancy. Cross age tutors will provide additional support and employment advice.
Ongoing mental health and parenting support will be offered through the hub and outreach services with links to maternal and child health services and childcare in suburbs of origin.