Becoming a young parent

I am about to become a dad, how can I prepare and how can I help my partner?

Becoming a dad can feel anxious. There are lots of new things happening, but there’s also lots of support. Get ahead of the game:

• read about being a parent
• talk to other dads
• sign-up to parenting courses
• learn new skills.

Some things you can do to support your partner:

• be consistent — stay calm and positive
• be helpful — find lots of practical ways to help around the home like keeping it clean and tidy
• be committed — talk about your plans and your role
• spend time — the quality and content of your time with your baby is more important than just the amount of time you’re there.

How can my parents/carers help me?

They can:

• be supportive — listening to your worries and concerns
• provide advice — they’ve had children and worked through many of the challenges of being a parent
• offer to care for the child — so you can have a bit of time to yourself or go on a course

Support Services

Young mums under 16 get support from an ELAN midwife who provide extra social support during the pregnancy. They also get support from a healthcare visitor once the baby is born.

Young mums aged 16-17 get support from an ELAN midwife who will provide extra social support during the pregnancy. They can also be referred to Flying Start Services and get support from a Flying Start Health Visitor.

Flying Start supports children aged 0-3 years 11 months in specific areas of Cardiff. The help available includes:

• enhanced healthcare visitor service
• access to parenting programmes
• support for children to learn to talk and communicate
• part-time childcare for 2-3 year olds

Funding Support Available

SureStart Maternity Grant:

This is £500 to help with the costs of having a new baby. To get this grant you or your partner must be getting one of these benefits:

• Income Support
• Income Related ESA
• Income Based Job Seekers Allowance
• Universal Credit.

It’s only available if your new baby is the only baby or child in the home. The grant must be claimed within 11 weeks of the baby’s due date or within six months of the birth. For more

information, go to: turn2us.org.uk/Benefit-guides/Sure-Start-MaternityGrant/Who-can-get-a-Sure-Start-Maternity-Grant

Baby Roots Groups

These groups are for young parents and have lots of activities to do with your children, as well as advice and support.

There are three groups:

1. Powerhouse (Llanedeyrn) — every Thursday (term time) at 12:45-2.45pm.

Contact: Rachael 07970601632 rachael.barry2@cardiff.gov.uk or Leanne 07976056140 leanne.williams@cardiff.gov.uk

2. St Mellons — every Friday (term time) at 12.45-2.45pm.

Contact: Rachael 07970601632 rachael.barry2@cardiff.gov.uk or Leanne 07976056140 leanne.williams@cardiff.gov.uk

3. Grassroots, Charles Street — every Tuesday at 1-3pm.

Contact: Louise.Coombs@cardif.gov.uk Instagram: @grassrootscf10 Facebook: grassrootscardiff

Cardiff Youth Service

Cardiff Youth Service works with young people to develop interesting, challenging and creative opportunities and experiences. Find out more:

• Instagram: @cardiffyouthservice
• Facebook: cardiffyouthservice

Families Learning Together at Cardiff and Vale College

This project aims to engage many families and encourage positive attitudes towards education. The team of qualified teachers deliver courses and workshops designed to take families on an exciting learning journey together.

In addition to providing parents with an understanding of how to support their children there is an opportunity to gain a qualification. As part of the course, parents become college students and enjoy a visit to the college where they find out more. These courses can be tailored to individual needs and are all free. For more information email the learning team:

• Families@cavc.ac.uk

 Specific courses can be run for young parents

Get Cooking Courses

Get Cooking is a 9 week course that you attend once a week for two hours.
There is a crèche available for your child while you cook.

Get Cooking is a free 9 week cooking course for mums, dads and other carers.
The sessions are run once a week for two hours each.

• Experienced and new cooks are welcome!
• Quick, easy and tasty meal ideas
• Free portion of what you make to take home
• The chance to gain Agored Cymru credits
• Meet new people
• Free gift and recipe book when completing the course

To enquire about Get Cooking courses contact:
The Flying Start Food and Nutrition Team
Telephone: 029 20351377

Progression Pathways

Sixth Form & College Provision

Sixth forms and College help you develop skills through a variety of courses like:

• GCSEs
• A-Levels
• Access Courses
• BTEC level
• apprenticeships and more.

For more information:

cavc.ac.uk

stdavidscollege.ac.uk

Traineeships

Traineeships are learning programme for young people aged 16-18. They help you get job skills and progress to further learning or an apprenticeship.

Traineeships can give you a taste of a job you might be interested in before you commit to a course or apprenticeship.

You get paid for doing a Traineeship and you receive support from your employer to develop your skills and knowledge further.

For more information contact Careers Wales: careerswales.gov.wales/contact-us

Apprenticeships

Apprenticeships in Wales are jobs that include recognised qualifications and job-specific skills. You earn a wage while you work and learn by training on the job and studying at college (full-time or part-time), or at a training centre.

What are the Apprenticeship levels?

Foundation Apprenticeship — you would usually gain a Level 2 qualification (equivalent to GCSE A*-C Level).

Apprenticeship — you would work towards a Level 3 qualification (equivalent to A Levels).

Higher Apprenticeship — you would work towards a higher qualification of Level 4 and above. This could be an HNC/HND or Foundation Degree.

Degree Apprenticeship — these offer learning at Level 6 and provide the opportunity to gain a full bachelor’s degree. They combine working with studying part time at a university or college.

To find out more:

gov.wales/find-apprenticeship

careerswales.gov.wales/apprenticeships/what-is-an-apprenticeship or contact Cardiff Council Into Work Services.

Employment

Cardiff Council Into Work Services can support you with searching for a job. For more information: careerswales.gov.wales/getting-a-job

 

For more information

Cardiff & Vale College: 02920 250 250 or email: info@cavc.ac.uk

Careers Wales: post@careerswales.gov.wales or Online Webchat

Into Work Services: 02920 871 071 or Online Webchat

Learning Opportunities

Learn Direct — Learn English and/or Math’s online for Free.

On average courses take between 5 to 8 hours to complete, but you get to decide how long and how often you log on. Go to:

learndirect.com/funding-options/free-english-maths or contact: Learndirect@cavc.ac.uk

Cardiff and Vale College — Childcare Funding for learners at Barry College — 12 hours minimum study and you must be on a further education course.

Maths and English for Everyday Life — These courses are the next step up from the online English and Maths courses, and are currently held in Llanrumney Hall and other sites across Cardiff.

Adult Basic Education Courses — Improve your skills and gain a qualification in English, Maths or Digital Literacy for just £10. These courses could help you to:

• gain an essential skills qualification
• prepare for work or a college course
• improve everyday skills.

These courses are run in various locations around Cardiff. For more information, contact: abe@cavc.ac.uk

Become a play ambassador

The Community Play Ambassadors Project is working with young people aged 14-19 to become Play Ambassadors through training, qualifications and placements into Play Work.

Qualifications include Level 1 and Level 2 Play Work Training with a commitment to volunteer 10 hours a month for up to six months while you’re completing the qualification. These are run at various locations in Cardiff, for more information contact: paula@playwales.co.uk

Become a childminder?

To train to be a childminder you need to be at least 18. It’s a career that can work around you raising your own child and working at the same time.

There aren’t any entry requirements, but you do need to attend a session with the Cardiff Childcare Business Support Team, which is free, or through a webinar with Pacey (The Childminder Support organization) which costs £10.

The Sessions give you lots of information so you can decide if this is for you. If you decide it is, you’ll need to complete training which has 2 units and is part of a level three qualification. There is a fee for this qualification.

Pacey’s website has a detailed section on Becoming a Childminder and there is also a lot of information on Social Care Wales and City and Guilds.