Encouraging learning as a family
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Information about the adult learning in the community partnership
The Welsh Index of Multiple Deprivation data for 2019 indicates that Merthyr Tydfil is an area of high deprivation with nearly all of its wards within the 10-30% most deprived in Wales. Across the partnership, 62% of learners live in 40% of the most deprived areas in Wales.
The qualifications’ profile of adults across Merthyr Tydfil indicates high levels of adults with no qualifications, at 14.8%, compared with the Welsh average of 8.4%. In 2018, approximately one in five adults were qualified below level 2, compared with the Welsh average of approximately one in eight. This disparity is also evident in higher-level qualifications.
Merthyr Tydfil Adult Education’s Family Programmes provision is part of the Merthyr Tydfil ACL curriculum offer, and creates an environment where parents, carers and children have access to a range of learning opportunities within school settings, which is relevant to their needs.
Through formal learner assessment, providers deliver learning opportunities to meet individual learning needs and styles, therefore maximising an individual’s potential to achieve and have a greater degree of independence and quality of life, empowering them to access further learning and training as well as volunteering and employment opportunities.
The programme, by involving families, works to break the intergenerational cycle of underachievement and of undervaluing education and improve the life chances of the next generation.
Context and background to the effective or innovative practice
Family Programmes are delivered within a partnership approach between the local authority, local schools and The College Merthyr Tydfil. Performance data indicates that the provision has a significant impact on improving learners’ skills.
Tutors teaching Family Programmes’ classes demonstrate the ability to support and nurture learners appropriately to help them build resilience. They create comfortable learning environments in which learners feel safe.
In Family Programme classes, parents and carers develop literacy and numeracy skills alongside their children. For example, learners work well on activities designed to teach their children about money through everyday experiences. Through these activities, adults gain a useful understanding of current methods of carrying out calculations. They make steady progress in improving their own literacy, numeracy and digital literacy skills and become more confident in tasks such as writing curriculum vitae, making job applications or using computer software to learn with their children.
The Parenting Programmes are delivered with groups of parents who have children / young people in the same age ranges or who have the same challenges such as ADHD or ASD. Tutors deliver courses in local community venues and with the offer of crèche facilities and refreshments provided. If groups are not in a local and easily accessible venue, some limited support can be provided for transport needs.
Prior to attending the programmes, each parent will receive at least one visit from an engagement worker. This enables the building of trust within the relationship and supports the gathering of information for a full assessment of the parent’s needs, and identification of barriers they may feel they have to attending the course(s). The engagement visits also give the parents a full overview of the support available, enabling them to prepare and build their confidence to attend the course. If a family needs wider support, with permission, referrals can be made to other partners and services.
Family Programmes have been held in primary schools across the County Borough of Merthyr since 1997 with funding from the Welsh Government in partnership with The College, Merthyr Tydfil. This initiative continued in 2015 when funding ceased from the Welsh Government, as the local authority recognised its importance.
The programmes aim to extend learning opportunities in a fun and innovative way for all children and families and create an atmosphere where learning is encouraged, valued and part of everyday life. Family Programmes increase parents’/carers’ involvement with their child’s school and education and improve their own skill levels. Programmes are inclusive and, with the support of the school, engage with ‘hard-to-reach parents’, who may lack the confidence to return to learning due to their own negative experiences of schooling, and thus support schools’ parental engagement strategies.
For some parents/carers, developing confidence to support their children’s learning can be difficult, especially if they also need help with their own literacy, language and numeracy skills. This approach aims at improving parents’ skills to support the child’s skill development and assists in motivating parents and addressing their fears – developing a ‘shared family learning approach’ that can have a lasting impact.
Parenting Support has been running in Merthyr since the inception of the Flying Start programme in 2007. The support was highlighted as one of the four key elements and entitlements for the Welsh Government’s anti-poverty programme. The support was further developed with Cymorth funding, which then became the Families First programme. The support is delivered throughout the Borough of Merthyr Tydfil, offering all parents and carers the opportunity to engage.
Evidence-based structured parenting programmes provide parents with the necessary knowledge and skills to build their parenting capacity. As a result, they increase parents’ confidence and can benefit young children with emotional and behavioural problems.
Description of nature of strategy or activity
Family Programmes:
- help parents to support their children’s learning, enabling them to become motivated and independent learners
- support parents/carers and schools in encouraging children to gain early literacy and numeracy skills
- encourage parents/carers to build closer links with schools as well as taking a more active part in their children’s education
- enable parents/carers to improve their own skills, to gain accreditation and access further learning opportunities
Parenting Programmes:
- enhance positive parenting skills to manage behaviour more effectively and promote children’s social skills, self-esteem and self-discipline
- improve parent-child relationships and parent-parent relationships
- develop positive attitudes and aspiration
- strengthen parents’ understanding of child development and foster their ability to be more responsive to the needs of their children to promote their social, emotional and cognitive development and well-being increase parents’ confidence in their parenting role and skills in providing a positive home learning environment
What impact has this work had on provision and learners’ standards?
Family Programmes:
Children benefit through
- improved literacy and numeracy skills
- positive attitudes towards learning
- one to one quality time with the parent/carer
- enjoyment of learning through fun activities
- accelerated learning through enhanced motivation and enthusiasm
Family Programmes’ evaluation forms completed by parents/carers during academic year 2018-2019 indicated:
- improved knowledge of literacy skills used in schools – 35%
- improved knowledge of numeracy skills used in schools – 37%
- consider doing other courses – 95%
- consider volunteering in a school setting – 68%
- consider other volunteering opportunities – 67%
- consider other courses to aid child’s learning – 97%
- learners achieving Agored Cymru accreditation – 86%
Parenting Programmes
During 2019-2020, 280 parents engaged with the programme. Two hundred and seven parents completed these interventions and reported an improvement in their own resilience and parenting capabilities. Comments from parents included
Thank you so much for having me on this course! It has been so helpful, useful and something I input every day in my life with my child. I am so grateful for the information gained on the course and also the support I have had…. Forever grateful.
I learnt a lot through this course and have used what I have learnt in my household and outside.