By Gill Cooper
Ashleigh Izard is a young Norlane mum with a mission. To break the cycle of disadvantage and poor parenting decisions which have had a huge impact on her own life.
Due to family issues, Ash was placed in out-of-home care under legal orders as a 16-year-old – meaning she lived with a series of foster carers until she became an adult.
They were tough years, also shaped by a diagnosed learning disability. Ash still finds reading and writing a challenge – particularly when it comes to dealing with government paperwork.
Now 22, Ash said the arrival of her newborn son, Royston, 14 months ago helped give her the motivation to access a range of extra support services to develop positive parenting skills.
Ash joined the intensive Cradle to Kinder program in late 2017 and receives extra support services provided by Barwon Child, Youth and Family Geelong to help her set and achieve personal goals.
She said her main priority now is to provide a safe, stable and happy home in which to raise her son.
“I had some bad and good experiences in foster care but I want Royston to grow up with his Mum,” Ash said.
“The best thing in my life is my boy – and being a mum. I’m a protective mum.”
Cradle to Kinder supports vulnerable young families from pregnancy through early years. It gives practical parenting or health and wellbeing support to vulnerable young mums under 25 years until their child turns four years old.
This early intervention means there is less need for child protection services or out-of-home care.
Family and Community Services manager Toni Gauntlett said BCYF has been a key provider of Cradle to Kinder in the Barwon region region over the past 18 months.
Ash relies on the guidance of BCYF case worker Ruth Fleming to help her access support services funded through NDIS, State funding and BCYF to help make raising her son easier.
These include regular maternal and child health and paediatric checks as well as home visits from a support worker, swimming lessons for both mother and child at Waterworld, learner driver instruction and legal aid.
“I know it’s all going to help me in the long run,” she said. “He’s my number one!”
Supported by her Nan, sister Tamara and partner Dylan, Ash is gradually building stronger foundations to live independently.
Through Cradle to Kinder she receives practical support to boost her self-reliance, independent living skills and access to education, vocational training and employment.
Minister for Families and Children Jenny Mikakos today announced an extra $72.4 million over two years to continue services to support vulnerable family and children including an extra $22 million to extend delivery of Cradle to Kinder in Victoria.
Barwon Region’s two program providers, including BCYF, will share around $1.2 million to deliver Cradle to Kinder services.
