LYNN GROVE TRAILBLAZERS AGAIN!

During an internal Extended School’s Audit at Lynn Grove High School, the Health and Social Care department identified a need to teach parenting responsibilities to teenagers as part of their educational programme. Motivated by this need, we met and discussed the possibility of the real care babies been sponsored by the Norfolk Constabulary. A partnership was then formed between Lynn Grove High School and the Magdelen and Bradwell Neighbourhood Policing Team led by Inspector Alun Gibbs and project and problem solving officer Bob Lawless (PSCO). After much research it was found that the RealCare Baby is the most sophisticated parenting tool available to help young people to shape their choices in life. They engage, enthuse and motivate young people and communicate brilliantly the realities of parenting.

The first baby, named Lynn by PSCO Bob was purchased by the Constabulary for Lynn Grove’s pupils. An assessment of its use as an educational tool provided the impetus for the programme to be rolled out throughout Great Yarmouth’s schools and external providers. After a training event on 14^th September (led by Life Choice trainer, Jo) the babies are now used in most of the local schools, Gorleston and Hopton Children Centre, PCT Schools Paediatric Department and the Girl Friendly Society.

Girls and boys are encouraged to take the baby home to experience feeding, changing and generally looking after a baby who is completely reliant on their care. These experiences frequently lead to comments from the pupils, claiming that they now realise that they are not ready for such responsibilities. Year 10 pupil A Smith said “walking home pushing the pram I felt embarrassed as people looked at me as if I was a teenage mum and this made me realise it would be quite embarrassing to have a baby this young. Being a young mum would also take away my freedom as I will not have any time to myself or to go out with friends”.

As an educational institution, we achieve our objective of raising the pupils’ awareness of the responsibility, commitment and skills required to look after an infant. This programme in no way however, encourages early pregnancies but rather discourages this through demanding real life experiences. By involving the family who shares the experience of the nightly disturbances of an infant demanding routine care, we are confident that they too would help to dissuade any teenage myths that being a young parent is appealing.

According to Health and Social Care lead teacher Mrs Martin-White “the purpose of the real care babies is to teach parenting responsibilities to teenagers and to demonstrate the unpredictable, life changing and time-consuming nature of babies. This aim is integral to their programme of study.”

For anyone interested in finding out more about this programme, please contact the school on the office number or email on This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it Please remember to leave your name and contact details.