Innovative access programme for young mothers wishing to train in childbirth education: from concept to evaluation

Abstract

This paper describes the conception, planning, implementation and evaluation of an access programme arising out of an innovative collaboration between two charities, Straight Talking and the National Childbirth Trust. The access programme was designed at the request of a group of young mothers who had finished compulsory education and subsequently worked with the Straight Talking organisation, facilitating discussion with students in Years 10 and 11 about teenage pregnancy and parenting. The mothers wanted to acquire further academic, reflective and facilitation skills with a view to enrolling on the Diploma‐level antenatal education programme run by the National Childbirth Trust and validated by the University of Bedfordshire. The mothers hoped that they might ultimately work as antenatal teachers with pregnant teenagers and other groups of pregnant women and their families in southwest London.

Keywords:

• young mothers
• access programme
• antenatal teaching
• charities
• collaboration