Babies in the Classroom: VCAL program opens doors to young mums
Babies are a familiar and welcome sight in the classroom in the Young Mums class at Swinburne TAFE's Croydon campus.
As part of a unique program within Swinburne teaching childcare and parenting skills, eight young mums and mothers-to-be are keeping up their education while learning hands-on childcare skills.
Offered as part of the Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning (VCAL) program, the Young Mums class allows girls aged 15-19, who have been unable to continue their schooling when they became pregnant, to keep their babies with them in childcare and personal development classes.
Sixteen students are enrolled in the class, eight of whom have young babies (aged between six days and four months) or are currently pregnant. The flexible program allows these students to take time off to give birth and return to the classroom when they are ready.
VCAL teacher Louise Schilling said the program is very valuable to the young women. "Often, when these girls fall pregnant they feel they don't fit in at school, so they end up dropping out," she said. "While there are other programs for young mums, we believe this is one of a few that actually welcomes babies in the classroom. It provides an opportunity for the girls to learn how to care for their baby's health, nutrition and emergency care as well as how to play with them whilst studying their VCAL.
"Many teenage mums in Australia have a poor range of choices as the opportunity to access further education while they are pregnant becomes more challenging, so many young mothers end up in a cycle of welfare dependency."
Schilling said one of the most effective ways to improve their future prospects was to support young pregnant women and mothers to stay connected to schooling. "These girls want to be good mothers. Education can make an enormous difference to the chance for them and their children to have a brighter future."
Completing the program counts towards a Certificate III in Children's Services. The young women can also go on to study within Swinburne in the many programs offered.
"What is appealing about the program is that the girls have become part of the Swinburne learning environment and it makes it a lot easier to continue their studies. They are already planning their next course and futures," Schilling said.
The other eight girls in the class are enrolled in a VCAL program that includes competencies of the Certificate III in Children's Services course.
"These girls are getting first hand experience with babies right in the classroom and loving this very special opportunity," Schilling said.
