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Core 3: Parenting and caring

Support for parents and carers

Exploring a range of support services

At different points in life parents and carers may need the support of a variety of community support groups, agencies and services. One of the limiting factors to accessing these services is that parents and carers are required to contact them. This is not likely if parents and carers are not aware of their existence or the type of service or support they provide.

Complete the following activities to develop and check your understanding of a range of parenting and caring services available, the type of support they provide, associated costs and how to access the service or support.

activity.gif Student activity Read the following scenario and complete the related tasks.

Tara is a single mother of two children: Samantha, who is 8-weeks-old, and Rebecca, who is 3. Tara has only her mother close by for support, but Tara's mother also needs constant care as she has dementia. Tara is having problems settling and breastfeeding Samantha and is feeling tired and depressed with the constant lack of sleep and the demands of a newborn baby, a three-year-old and an elderly parent with dementia. Added to this pressure are the financial strains of having two children and being unemployed. Tara would like Rebecca to go to a child-care service of some sort, but she is unsure of her options and whether or not she will be able to afford the cost of child-care.

  1. A range of support services is available to Tara in her role as a parent and carer. Using your knowledge of areas of support and support services for parents and carers, complete the following activity, Exploring support services (click on the appropriate icon).

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  2. Research one support services and outline the following information:
    • Name of the service.
    • Type of support provided.
    • How to gain access to the service.
    • Cost involved.
    • Source of funding for the service.

    Use the print-based worksheet titled, About the support service to complete the task.

    The following web site links have been provided to assist you to conduct your research.

Check your answers. chk_answer.gif

The answers provide one example of a support service only for each area of support.


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