Groove and Grow

PRESENTATION BY DR PAT BECKLEY

The Focus

The study aimed to identify ways to

support young parents in challenging

circumstances to participate in

social interaction with other young

parents and their babies and

toddlers through musical activities

(2015-2017)

Background to the Study

‘Young people leaving care are one of the most disadvantaged groups of young people in society’

‘It is often as a consequence of their pre-care, in-care, and leaving care experiences that many are likely to have multiple disadvantages that predispose them to poor life chances, including poverty and social inclusion’

Stein, 2005

Young Parents in Challenging

Circumstances

‘Children are taken into care for a number of reasons; they may

have been abused or neglected, or they may have families

who are struggling to cope in difficult circumstances.

Whatever the reason, these children are highly vulnerable.

Their problems are made worse by the number of moves that

many of them are forced to make during their time in care,

which can seriously disrupt their education. Not surprisingly,

many of them do less well at school than their peers. This has

a lasting effect on their adult lives; care leavers are more

likely than children who have not been in care to be

unemployed, get in trouble with the law and they often have

trouble forming stable relationships.’ Barnardo’s

Bronfenbrenner’s ecological

systems theory 1979

The Determinants of Parenting;A Process Model (Belsky, 1984)

Christian Medical Fellowship, 2003

The importance of parental

personality, lifestyle and behaviour but

also the contribution of socio-

economic stresses and the child’s own

developmental needs

The impact of society on parenting

and the pressure it brings

Possible Challenges for Young Parents

Lack of stability in their upbringing

Poor family background

Lack of parental role model

Self-esteem issues /resilience

Lack of emotional support

Possible mistrust of organisations or

inputs

Poverty

Challenging levels of educational attainment

Comparison with peers who are not parents

Being a young householder as well as a young parent

Inexperience of running a home egbudgeting

Housing difficulties

Isolation

Access to musical activities- findings

from research suggest interventions

can have a significant impact.

Context

8 participant young parents with their babies and toddlers. All young children

were 12 months – four years old.

Intervention consisted of a programme of musical inputs. The first stage was in

their own lodgings and second stage at a home base.

Initial meeting either in their home base, followed by observations and

interviews with young parents, music facilitator and where appropriate

home base lead.

Musical activities in the home

The Resilience Diamond

Stein, 2005

First Stage – enjoyed interactions, singing and dancing, access to other

meetings, confidence to participate in the wider community, enquiries into

jobs or training, managing budgets.

Songs included songs to sing together, movement songs, singing and

listening, action rhymes

Responses in the First Stage

Baby ‘watches when (the facilitator) comes and sees what she’s

doing’

‘We enjoy singing nursery rhymes and have bought records to sing

along to, to sing together when she (the facilitator) isn’t there.

‘We have fun and dance to Justin Bieber together now.’

A toddler had been given a drum set to play at home.

One toddler ‘liked to wriggle to any music and do the actions

learned in the sessions.’

Reflections

Consider the role of the researcher- an ethnographic

study?

Continue to encourage young parents’ ideas in the

content of the sessions

Have an appropriate venue for group activities

Second Stage- Songs, dance and

musical instruments

The welcoming environment

Fosters a lively, supportive and convivial atmosphere

Possible factors;

Multi-space, not purpose built

‘pack away’ resources

No ‘professional’ uniform

Celebrate differing expertise of adults present

Homely environment

Second Stage

Social Interactions

Children were helping

Parenting Skills- listening

to music and observing

how others interacted

positively

Listening to each other

and using quieter

responses

Interactions

Adult-Child Interactions

Babies and young children

interactions

Pro-social behaviours with

language a natural

consequence of musical

experiences

Personal Development-adult and child

Bonding

Confidence in own ability and ideas

Meeting others

Wider learning

Next steps-living with challenges does not have to equate with disadvantage?

References

Barnardo’s (2014) Five to Thrive: The things you do every day that help your child’s growing brain Kate Cairns Associates

Belsky, J. (1984) The Determinants of Parenting: A Process Model Society for Research in Child Development: Vol.55, No.1, 83-96

Deutscher, B. Fewell, R. Gross, M. (2006) Enhancing the Interactions of Teenage Mothers and Their At-Risk Children: Effectiveness of a Maternal-Focused Intervention Topics in Early Childhood Special Education, 26, no.4 (2006): 194-205: Sage Publications

Leishman, J.L. Moir, J. (2007) Pre-Teen and Teenage Pregnancy: A twenty-first century reality Keswick: M and K Publishing

Lounds,J.Borkowski,J.Whitman,T (2006) The Potential for Child Neglect: The case of adolescent mothers and their children Child Maltreatment, 11, no 3 (2006): 281-294: Sage Publications

Preston, G. (ed) (2005) At Greatest Risk: The children most likely to be poor London; Child Poverty

Action Group

Stein,M (2005) Resilience and Young People Leaving Care: Overcoming the odds. Research Report. Joseph Rowntree Foundation