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Effective Practices

T

he following are examples of effective practices on topics such as prevention of dropout, literacy, collaboration with parents and others, evaluating the quality of data, recruiting learners, etc. It is suggested that this information be used in conjunction with a professional development presentation or as an idea for future research.

Recruitment and Retention Practices

Assessment Practices

Coordination and Collaboration Practices

Illinois Center for Specialized Professional Support (ICSPS)/Special Populations Project1

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Recruitment and Retention Practices

Teen Parent Summit

Tazewell County Area Education to Employment sponsored a Teen Parent Summit on April 5, 2000. Participants interacted in the Real World activity, listened to a panel of working women share their insights on careers, and listened to an inspirational message from a successful career woman. The teen parents were invited to enroll in the Tazewell County/Area Education for Employment Program.

Learner/Parent Program

The Lincoln Public School in Lincoln, Nebraska has a team of school personnel cooperatively intervening to provide learners who are pregnant or parenting with information, resources, services, and education to help them succeed in school. The team includes a family and consumer sciences instructor, the school nurse, a guidance counselor, an administrator, the school social worker and psychologist at each building. A learner can self-refer or be referred to any team member when someone suspects a pregnancy or knows the learner is parenting. The nurse completes an initial health and pregnancy assessment. The team then plans with the learner/parent to determine their needs based on academics, health, counseling, childcare, community resources, social-emotional issues, vocational planning, and parenting issues.

SP-DH

Assessment Practices

Teen Parent Program

Assessing the learner for eligibility into specialized support services is critical. The following form is an example of an assessment that has been used in a secondary program. This form may be adapted for use in both secondary and postsecondary programs.

Teen Parent Program Enrollment Form

Name:Today’s Date:

Your Address:Phone:

School Attending:Grade:

Completion Date:Birthdate:Age:

Place of Employment:Hours/week:

Marital Status: Single__ Married__ Divorced__ Spouse’s Name:

Parent/Guardian:

Mother:Father:

Address:Address:

Phone:Phone:

Guidance Counselor Name:

If you are an expectant parent, please complete this section:

Is the other parent still in school? Yes__ No__

If yes, what school does he/she attend?

Are you together? Yes__ No__

Confirmation of pregnancy by:

Due Date:

Other Children:

Doctor or Clinic for prenatal care:

Hospital where you expect to deliver:

Are you covered by insurance? Yes__ No__ Is the baby?

Have you chosen a pediatrician? Yes__ No__ If yes, who?

What arrangements have you made for the care of your baby after he/she is born?

If you are a parent, complete this section:

Name of child(ren): / Birthdate of child(ren):
1. / 1.
2. / 2.
3. / 3.

Who provides care for your child while you are at school?

Are you receiving funding for child care? Yes__ No__

Problems expressed at intake:

Concerns expressed:

Writer suggestions:

Teen Parent Program Agency Linkage Form

Name______Date______

Address______

School______

DOB______Age______County______

Due Date______Or Child(ren) Name:______

Human/Family/Child Services: / DateReferred / Date
Received / Comments
TANF financial assistance
Child Care Connection
Food Stamps
Medical Card (self)
Medical Card (baby)
Healthy Families
Good Beginnings
Other
Other Community Agenciesand Support: / DateReferred / Date
Received / Comments
WIC
Social Security
Subsidized housing
Child support
School Assistance: / DateReferred / Date
Received / Comments
Reduced lunch
Free lunch
Other: / DateReferred / Date
Received / Comments

Source:

Ptak, L. (2000). Tazewell County/Area Education for Employment. Referral system. Unpublished report.

SP-DH

Coordination and Collaboration Practices

There are many community service and governmental agencies that provide services for single parents and displaced homemakers. Some examples include the following:

  • Head Start
  • Early Head Start
  • Even Start
  • GED Programs
  • Community College Placement Services
  • Job Centers
  • Temporary Employment Agencies
  • Illinois Department of Employment Security
  • Domestic Violence Clearinghouse
  • YWCA
  • Hospitals
  • Public Libraries
  • DOH WIC (Women, Infant, Children Services)
  • Department of Human Services
  • Department of Health
  • Department of Public Aid

Referral System

The following are a few places to obtain referrals:

  • School Nurse
  • School Counselor
  • Learner Assistance Program Coordinator
  • Teen Parent Services (through Department of Human Services)
  • Health Departments
  • Opportunities Program, Financial Aid Office (Community College)
  • Truant Officers

Hints and Tips

  • If you plan on meeting in groups or individually during secondary school hours, be sure to check with the secondary school contact person beforehand. Ask how many times learners will be allowed to miss class for meetings with the Single Parent Coordinator.
  • You may need a permission slip from the learner and his or her parents.
  • Develop a packet to give to the learner with information on area programs and services that are available to them. Also include in the packet: resume writing, cover letters and job-seeking information as well as nutrition, pregnancy, and parenting information.
  • Make up brochures and fliers that will explain what the Single Parents/Displaced Homemakers Program involves. Distribute these to contact persons at secondary schools and provide materials for them to hand out to their learners.
  • Work with school counselors to develop alternative class schedules with flexibility.
  • Develop a newsletter that could go out every month or every other month with information in it about parenting, prenatal health, infant development, child care, discipline issues, non-traditional careers, resumes, cover-letters, job leads, etc.
  • Provide materials in your resource library and market those materials to child-care instructors, area teen programs, student services personnel, or any other group.
  • Market area prenatal and parenting classes offered at area agencies and hospitals.
  • Write grants to local foundations and etc partnerships for funding projects.

Retention Ideas (Things You Can Do):

  • Monthly group meetings at each individual school
  • Weekly individual meetings
  • Monthly newsletter to learners and contact people
  • Financial Aid Workshop—invite area agencies and community colleges to provide information to learners about how and where to apply for financial aid.
  • New Mom’s Network
  • Mentor Program
  • Community Service Program
  • Teen Parent Summit: A Journey to the Future
  • Opportunities 2000 project for the transitioning time—focusing on high school juniors and seniors and college learners
  • Portfolio Work—help learners to develop their own resume and cover letters as well as collect references
  • Help learners schedule their classes for the career or college they want to attend.
  • Career exploration
  • Job readiness skills
  • Assist in job hunting—provide information on where to go to get the latest job listing.
  • Coordination of community services
  • Career assessment
  • Career planning
  • Work-based learning programs
  • Summer youth employment opportunities with United Workforce Development Board
  • Provide referrals for tutors

Suggestions for items to include in referral packets for participants in Single Parent/Displaced Homemakers Program:

  • Illinois Employment and Training brochure and summary of services. They will also give you samples of a resume and cover letter to include.
  • List of area agencies with description, address and phone numbers.
  • List of adoption agencies and/or brochures.
  • List of emergency phone numbers.
  • Health Department information.
  • Childcare Connection/Subsidy information
  • List of GED/Alternative High School Programs
  • A calendar for the year so that they can keep track of their assignments and doctor appointments.

Source:

Ptak, L. (2000). Tazewell County/Area Education for Employment. Referral system. Unpublished report.

Illinois Center for Specialized Professional Support (ICSPS)/Special Populations Project1