Talking Realities

The Adelaide Talking Realities program is a multi-level, community-based, collaborative support program engaging with teenage parents from diverse backgrounds and their children. It incorporates:

• peer education
• formal training and qualifications
• flexible and accessible family support services including parenting and childhood development groups
• school-based education regarding the realities of young parenthood
• linkages with a range of other supports and services

The peer education component of the program encompasses peer-led information sessions, peer participation and a range of peer-to-peer interactions.


Program components are tailored to meet local community needs. Young people may engage with the program at various levels and intensity and this may change over time in response to individual need.


The program aims to:

• improve the social health outcomes for young parents and their children
• contribute to the capacity of young people to make informed choices regarding young parenthood and parenting

Early Childhood Development program

• The Early Childhood Development (ECD) training program has had 24 young women enrol. Eight mothers are 20 years and under. Two young women are under 17 and pregnant. The remaining 14 mothers are aged between 21 and 25 years.

Peer Connector training program

• 17 of the 19 young parents who enrolled in the peer connector program completed the training and are eligible for SACE and TAFE accreditation. Three of the participants who completed the training are Aboriginal young mothers and they have also enrolled for the ECD training.
• 14 of these parents are continuing on with the ECD training. Birth of a baby, moving and living a significant distance from the training are the reasons behind the three parents not continuing with the peer connect program this year.
• All 14 young parents who completed the peer connector training are eager to undertake the peer connector role when they finish the ECD training. A staff member will be working with them over the next six months to identify services and to support them in this role.
• SHine SA provided two sexual health training sessions for peer connector participants.

Recruitment

• Promoting the program had a positive impact on the number of new enquiries and subsequent referrals to the program.
• Talking Realities has had an increase in the numbers of pregnant and young parents under 18 enquiring about becoming involved in the program.
• Many of these young parents and their children areattending the Friday Fun Group and Play Group, which is assisting families with parenting, child development needs, and social isolation.

Challenges

• We were successful in getting a grant of $3000 from Families SA anti-poverty fund to assist with transport as it continues to be an ongoing challenge because of the numbers of families in need of this service.

Further information: nicoline.kovatseff@health.sa.gov.au

Talking Realities Bulletin 1: October 07

Talking Realities Bulletin 2: April 08

Talking Realities Bulletin 3: August 08

Talking Realities Program Development Report

A partnership between SHine SA and Central Northern Adelaide Health Service Primary Health Care Services West. Funded by Morialta Trust Incorporated.