Community and Family Studies

Parenting and Caring

Year 12 Community and Family Studies (CAFS) students have had a busy start to the year as they became first time ‘parents and carers’ to a ‘baby’.  ‘Dr Clough and Dr Smith’ delivered the new ‘babies’ in the nursery to the very excited students. 

We are currently studying the topic - ‘Parenting and Caring’, and we are developing an understanding of the types of parents and carers there are. We have learnt about biological parents and learnt about IVF and Artificial insemination. We have also delved into the world of adoption and studying what is involved in fostering, step parenting and surrogacy. All of which have resulted in fantastic discussions about the legal, social and technological implications of each. 

The ‘student parents’ have been given a 'baby’ to care for. They had to name it, receive a birth certificate for he/she, put a nappy on their baby, dress it, wrap it and assemble and work a pram, while juggling their school bags, school life and the general public’s reactions. A diary is kept and some got boys, some got girls and some lucky ones got twins.  

The students are now starting to experience 3 days/2 nights with a real care simulation baby, that cries, needs to be fed, changed, rocked and cuddled. Some have found out exactly how little sleep a new parent can have and the students have learnt that caring for something other than themselves takes effort (even if it isn’t real).  The younger students have enjoyed seeing the school filled with prams and CAFS really offers those students interested in psychology, social work, counselling, doctors/paramedics, nursing, teaching and childcare a real journey through life situations. 

The students have done a great job of being ‘parents’ and have become very attached to their babies. Yet after experiencing the demands of a crying baby I don't think many will want to rush into parenting anytime fast.

Mrs Shannon Clough 

Community and Family Studies Teacher (TAS)