Adolescent mothers at WCJF benefit from new parenting programme

Adolescent mothers at the Women’s Centre of Jamaica Foundation (WCJF) are now benefiting from a new parenting programme, designed to empower them as well as promote positive parenting practices.

Dubbed the Empowered Futures Parenting Curriculum, the programme’s development, which was funded by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Jamaica with an investment of more than $10 million, has been rolled out at all 14 WCJF sites.

A product of the collaborative efforts of UNICEF Jamaica and the Caribbean Institute for Health Research (CAIHR) at the University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona, the curriculum draws on the latest research and feedback from facilitators and participants.

The Empowered Futures Parenting Curriculum, informed by the Reach Up curriculum and developed by the CAIHR-UWI, features 12 weekly sessions.

These focus on knowledge-sharing through parenting sessions that build the capacity of young mothers.

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Additionally, the programme includes supervised ‘Learning Through Play’ sessions, where participants and their children use self-made or locally produced toys and books to improve parent-child interactions and develop essential skills for early-childhood development.

It also focuses on building the practical skills young mothers need to engage in positive parenting practices. The Empowered Futures Parenting Curriculum was preceded by the Change Parent Programme.

NON-VIOLENT DISCIPLINED APPROACH

Projects coordinator, WCJF, Natalie Fuller, told JIS News that the programme is poised to raise awareness and build parenting skills among adolescent mothers.

She said it is hoped that it will position good parenting practices as a critical social variable for shaping all members of a family unit.

“Each module is designed with practical skills to improve child development, promote early stimulation and manage day-to-day parenting challenges through a positive non-violent disciplined approach,” she said, while providing an overview at the curriculum’s recent launch.

Fuller said that the parenting sessions are complemented by interactive group sessions on toy-making, using household waste materials.

Another aspect of the programme is the student workbook that adolescent mothers may use to reinforce what was taught in the session. The adolescent mothers are provided with homework activities to practise parenting skills with their child at home and then to share experiences in subsequent sessions,” she said.

OFFICIAL RAPID REVIEW

She explained that the WCJF officially implemented its parenting programme in 2018 to educate and empower adolescent mothers and their babies.

“To improve the content and delivery of the parenting programme, an official rapid review was conducted by UNICEF at the beginning of 2020. This review identified some key areas for improvement to include the need for an underlying programme theory of change, which clearly describes the pathway of change, from a change in parent and knowledge and skills to a change in parental behaviour leading ultimately to improved outcomes,” she said.

Fuller added that the review noted that, generally, the modules are designed to increase knowledge and awareness, promote early stimulation, and manage day-to-day parenting challenges through positive non-violent disciplines.

Following consultations, she said it was recommended that the parenting programme was upgraded with a view of reflecting the core active ingredients of both the WCJF and the Reach Up parenting programmes, critical to achieving positive outcomes for adolescent mothers and their babies.

The Reach Up parenting programme was designed by a team at the CAIHR at the UWI that has successfully implemented this approach in several countries. The programme is informed by more than 30 years’ research and model on the Jamaican home visit improvement programme.

It caters to parents with children from birth to 36 months.

SUPPORTIVE COMMUNITY

A graduate of the WCJF’s Kingston Centre and a grade-10 student, said the programme aims to support them to become better parents.

“As we gather here as a family, not as strangers, united in our quest to nurture and support our children and adolescent mothers as parents, caregivers and role models, we hold the power to shape their futures, and the parenting programme is here to support us every step of the way. We believe in the potential of each and every one of us,” she said.

“Our supporters are committed to providing guidance, resources and a supportive community to help us overcome the challenges we face. We acknowledge the unique struggles of our adolescent mothers and we are here to offer empowerment through mentorship, education and reinforcement,” she added.

She thanked UNICEF, WCJF and all the other communities, families, friends, supporters for their continuous support and unwavering commitment to empowering families and shaping lives.

Executive Director, WCJF, Novelette Howell, said the programme marks the beginning of a new chapter in the lives of adolescent parents in the country.

“As we launch the Empowered Futures Parenting Curriculum, we also celebrate the spirit of resilience and determination our adolescent parents demonstrate daily. With your support and commitment, we push forward, determined to break the cycle of toxic parenting styles and create positive cultural change spanning generations instead,” she said.

EVIDENCE-BASED INITIATIVE

Deputy Representative, UNICEF Jamaica, Mohammad Mohiuddin, said the organisation remains committed to supporting and empowering adolescent mothers and promoting positive parent/child interactions.

“UNICEF is pleased to continue its support with the WCJF, as it represents our work in empowering more communities, parents and children in Jamaica to celebrate positive social and gender norms,” he said.

Hailing the programme, Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, Olivia Grange, said it is designed to address the needs of adolescent parents across Jamaica.

“It is not just another parenting course. It is a comprehensive, evidence-based initiative designed to address the unique needs of adolescent parents in Jamaica, providing them with the tools and support they need to navigate the challenges of parenting during adolescence,” she said.

Grange noted that the WCJF has been a trailblazer in addressing adolescent pregnancy rates and meeting the educational needs of teenage mothers, as evidenced by, among other things, the organisation’s curricula development.

The Foundation has provided invaluable services to approximately 50,000 adolescent mothers through its centres and outreach stations.

Through its mandate, it assists teenage mothers in achieving their academic goals and empowering them to make wise choices for the future.