Victorian Government Student Pregnancy and Parenting Policy objective: to ensure schools support pregnant and parenting students. Students who are pregnant or parenting have the right to continue schooling. Schools and school principals can make local decisions to support students to continue their schooling.
Career Education Funding is available: Years 10 to 12 – minimum allocations
- Less than 30 CEF enrolments: $208 per CEF enrolment
- 30 to 99.9 CEF enrolments: $6,000 in total
- Greater than or equal to 100 CEF enrolment: $10,000 in total
Young Parents Education Program: Cranbourne and Narre Warren
Based in SE Region of Melbourne, the YPEP offers young people who are pregnant or parenting, an inclusive education setting where parents bring their baby with them to the program (up to 12 months old or baby is walking, whichever is first) with the aim of completing Year 12. Young parents are supported by a tertiary qualified Early Parenting Support Person (EPSP) with settling, feeding, sleeping and care while they study. The EPSP also provides guidance and assistance for young parents with early attachment and parenting skills. YPEP Educators are VIT registered and work alongside young parents to develop an Individual Learning Plan and Pathways Plan for smooth destination pathways following completion and graduation.
See here for contact details to enquire or enrol in YPEP, watch the YPEP Video as well as the Young Mothers Transition Program (YMTP) see video here – that works within each YPEP and with all young mothers across the southeast region seeking support with education or employment.
Please contact Mary Tresize-Brown, Manager Young Parent Programs 0430 445 187 or mtresizebrown@sellen.org.au
Kurnai College Young Parent Program (KYPP) at Morwell helps teenage parents to re-engage in education. It offers essential numeracy and literacy programs and relevant short courses to support them into future careers. Students can work on an individualised VCAL & VET program with ongoing personal and childcare support.
Their aim is to build young parents’ self-esteem, self-worth, aspiration and self-belief so they feel more confident in tackling the future and the obstacles they will face. See here for how young mums have fared in the program.
The KYPP say they are acutely aware of the need for young people to be respected as adults without putting too much pressure on them to be mature beyond their years and ‘…strive for a balance of life skills, social skills and parenting support and strategies’. ‘In achieving these goals students feel they can celebrate themselves and continue to set and achieve short and long term goals.’ KYPP was initiated by the Smith Family. ABC News 7 Dec 2015 – Teenage mothers graduate from high school with help of Young Parent Program.
Horsham College’s Young Parents program provides a flexible learning option for students who have difficulty committing to full-time education due to pregnancy or parenting duties. The program prioritises supporting young mothers in continuing their education to ensure a positive future for themselves and their children. Most of the curriculum is a dedicated VCAL curriculum (Literacy, Numeracy, Personal Development Skills and Work Related Skills). The Young Parents program has also partnered with the HRCC to run the SmallTalks Parenting Group that support young mothers with the challenges of parenting.
Students have classes for half days on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, where a qualified childcare worker is on staff to also support the mother in caring for their child while undertaking their education. Students undertake a VCAL curriculum. Contact Young Parents Coordinator, or Liam Offer, Alternate Program Assistant Principal, to discuss your needs. 03 5381 7100 or 0429 417 024
Northern Bay College Supporting Parents‘ Access to Childcare & Education – SPACE (replaces the Young Parents’ Access Program) offers social services, and education support, assisting with the development of educational pathways for young parents wishing to reengage in education. They offer:
- face to face meetings
- access to free WiFi and computers
- onsite childcare with supportive fee structures
- family and parenting supports
- ongoing mentoring support sessions
- assistance in applying for childcare funding
- scholarships and other financial supports
- community services
- Centrelink support and personal development.
They work to build confidence in completing education and job readiness, applying for long term employment, skills to plan, budget and manage finances, support to build meaningful relationships, assistance to access community survivors and activities and strategies to cope with stress and mental health issues. Office hours Mon-Fri 9-5pm. Contact Family Centre Coordinator. Ph: 03 5224 9791 or email See here for young mums talking about their future.
Yuille Park Community College Young Parents Campus.
Yuille Park Community College is a multi-campus school providing an innovative curriculum based around an inquiry model from pre-school to secondary school.
The Yuille Park Young Parents Campus offers young pregnant or parenting students the opportunity to study at a Senior Secondary Level including VCAL. The success of the program is due in part to the ‘holistic approach from staff and community partnerships that support the students learning and social and emotional wellbeing.
Students and their babies are supported by an individualised learning plan developed by teaching and educational support staff. To be eligible you need to be under 21, pregnant or already have a child and not have completed VCE or higher than a certificate III.
Contact 0439 358 152 Megan.Hillas@education.vic.gov.au.
Learn, Engage, Connect at Chisholm, Frankston. This is a partnership program with FMPLLEN as lead agency, funded through the Communities for Children program. Partners are Anglicare Frankston, headspace Frankston and Chisholm Frankston. Young parents are enrolled in VCAL. Children are in the classroom, supported by a family support worker and early childhood educator. The program engages young parents in further education to
- Support social connectedness & empowerment
- Support links to community and services
- Develop an integrated early childhood education (Abecedarian) opportunity
- Activities for babies and toddlers attending( 2-3 days )
- Structured parenting support for each parent & child /children
Contact: Maree Radford: maree.radford@chisholm.edu.au
St Joseph’s is a specialist secondary school for young people aged 12-25 who have disengaged, or are at risk of disengaging from mainstream education. At St Joseph’s, young people have access to a range of classroom and community-based learning opportunities while supported by both teachers and wellbeing workers in small class groups.
The centre has a classroom dedicated to young parents to engage in education. Young parents may choose to attend school with or without their baby. Parenting support, baby resources, a nursery on site, integrated classroom and children’s room, links to community service providers and outreach visits are provided. Classes run Mon-Fri, 9.45am to 3pm. There are no fees. Contact: 0417 204 268, nm.enrolment@stjosephs.vic.edu.au 385 Queensberry Street, North Melbourne, Vic. There are also campuses in Geelong and Colac. Young people from anywhere in Victoria can enrol.
This inclusive school community offers an integrated 7-10 Junior education program and VCE VM/VET Senior Secondary education program. Young people can participate in a range of electives and special interest groups. Electives include music, physical education (including workout sessions in our own onsite gym), art (including photography) and woodwork. Our special interest groups include the Rainbow Alliance, Young Parents Group and the Young Person Leadership Program.
Young people who enrol are eligible for a free student MYKI and are provided all school materials, as well as breakfast, morning tea and lunch each day.
The vision at Hester Hornbrook Academy is for an inclusive and just community where all young people have equal access to education and the opportunity to create their own future.
Currently based at our Prahran and Sunshine campuses, it offers a young parent-friendly class, providing a space for young parents to continue to engage in their learning and achieve their educational goals.
Founded by Melbourne City Mission and registered as an independent Special Assistance School in 2017, it offers fee-free Senior Secondary School education for students who are 15 to 25 years of age, through either the Victorian Pathway Certificate (VPC) or a Victorian Major (VM) Certificate.
The school is focused on supporting young people who have experienced education and/or social challenges, have disengaged from school and are from some of the most disadvantaged areas of Victoria. The school combines education and wellbeing support with a teacher, educational intervention specialist and youth worker in every classroom. Ph: 1800 517 218, E: admin@hhacademy.vic.edu.au