Lifelong Learning Project - School Inclusion - Preventing Early School Leaving

The Invisible Students

Sinéad Riordan

Depatyment of Health & Children

Ireland 2002

Paper

English

English

This paper was commissioned as part of the external evaluation of a national pilot programme, the Teen Parents Support Initiative (TPSI), funded by the Department of Health and Children. The Initiative consists of three pilot projects working directly with young parents and pregnant teenagers aged 19 years and under, and a fourth element, namely the production of a resource pack and directory of services for use by key workers with young parents.
The key objectives of this paper are:
(i) To review and identify possible gaps in service provision and barriers to participation in
education and training for young parents;
(ii) To discuss the policy backdrop against which TPSI pilot sites offer support to young parents to
continue in or return to education and training;
(iii) To generate recommendations for the development of policy for young parents in education and
training; and
(iv) To briefly describe and discuss the work of the TPSI in education and training for young parents and to examine key demographic characteristics of young parents as they pertain to education and what this may mean for the work of the overall programme.
Accompanied by case studies the paper outlines both national and regional initiatives. It discusses the implications of teen pregnancy on the continuation of education and the possibilities of school early school leaving as a result of parenting

Research indicates that teenage parents area a vulnerable group within the educational system and that difficulties in continuing formal education is a consideration fro them. Because the education may be disrupted by the demands of pregnancy and/or parenting and it can require considerable individual determination, family support and supportive agencies to resume or remain in education. This paper is a valuable source of information and for teen parents, families, educators and service providers

http://www.dohc.ie/publications/invisible_students.html

Ann Caulfield

Mayo Education Centre

Researcher