The Course
Hypothesis
We hypothesise that:
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some of the students will remember at least some of what they have learnt once they become parents and will be more empathic, effective, happy parents than they would otherwise, resulting in more pro-social, successful children
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students will be more likely to make responsible use of contraception
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on average they will have their first baby later than otherwise
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in the shorter-term, some of them will develop more empathy, understanding, self-knowledge, self-control, confidence and respect.
‘The violent children of the future are babies now.’
Sue Gerhardt
Why this course?
We believe that:
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good parenting is one of the most important subjects we can teach children and young people
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‘early intervention’ means starting with children and young people, not waiting until they are parents
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the course will lead to a reduction in future problems such as domestic violence, inadequate or harmful parenting, inappropriate teenage pregnancy, parental distress, and marital discord and breakdown
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the course can help disaffected students to feel more positive about going to school or college
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as far as we know, no one else in the UK is providing an intensive, experiential, psychologically-based course for teenagers at school and college quite like this.
We know that:
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the subject is of prime interest to virtually every teenager
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several comparable, well-evidenced projects in the USA have shown that a course like this has beneficial outcomes.
‘I want this project to go on until we leave in year 11.’
Mcentee Secondary school Student
The need for B4BP
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Why is it so vitally important to teach male and female teenagers at school about the realities of parenthood and the emotional needs of babies, children and parents and how these can best be met?
This is arguably one of the most important subjects we can teach every child at school - if not THE most important.
As Franklin Roosevelt wrote: 'Mothers and fathers, by the kind of life they build within the four walls of the home, are largely responsible for the future social and public life of the country.'
YET:
* Personal, Social, Health Education and Economic (PSHE) is still not a compulsory subject at school, despite the hard work of the PSHE Association.
* There is a high rate of teenage pregnancy in the UK.
* Most parents receive NO parenting education at any point, despite a high number wishing they had had some (research by Netmums). Most people have children - yet hardly anything is done to prepare them for this extremely challenging job: probably the most difficult and important job that anyone ever has.
* Children in the UK are less happy than those in many other European countries. (UNICEF report).
* Child and adolescent mental health problems are on the increase in the UK
* Virtually all teenagers are fascinated by learning about parenting; truants come to school especially for this lesson! The course can help disaffected kids feel better about school., improving their life chances.
* The cost of poor or harmful parenting is ENORMOUS: to individuals and to society in emotional, social and economic terms. Some of this could be prevented by effective, long-enough, universal teaching.
* Teaching this subject in schools is the ONLY way we can reach EVERY boy and girl in all social classes in good time. This is early intervention in its earliest form!