REALCARE PARENTING PROGRAM
The “RealCare Parenting Program” is a nationally
recognized classroom aid used in teaching health and family
living skills to teenage students. In San Luis Obispo County,
“RealCare Parenting Program” has been used throughout
the county through a partnership between the San Luis Obispo
County Child Abuse Prevention Council (SLO-CAP) and the
County Office of Education. SLO-CAP and the County Office
of Education work together to purchase dolls, schedule training
and deliver the “RealCare Parenting Program” dolls to
various high schools in the county.
“RealCare Parenting Program” is a program that uses
dolls that are programmed to simulate the actual behaviors
of a newborn to teach teens about the responsibility of
parenting. When a student is responsible for the doll, the
doll monitors the student’s response to demands for
feeding, burping after feeding, rocking, soothing, diaper
changing and head support. The student has the experience
of attempting to ascertain and then respond to the “baby’s”
needs. In addition, the dolls come with a heavy diaper bag
car seat/carrier, which in addition to the baby’s
weight, provide the experience of lifting, carrying, and
positioning a newborn while going through the activities
of every day life. Typically, teens who use the doll say
it has motivated them to wait to have children. When teens
wait to have children until they are more mature, they are
better prepared to be parents and less likely to abuse their
children because of lack of the necessary parenting skills.
As a teaching method, the “RealCare Parenting Program”
program departs from lecturing strategies to allow students
to learn interactively without placing a real baby at risk.
The parenting simulation is low risk because it is time
limited and reversible if the situation becomes unmanageable
for teen participants. Before any “Baby” is
allowed to go home with a teen, parental permission must
be given by the teen’s parents.
The RealCare Parenting Program was presented to approximately
520 students in 2003-2004 at Atascadero, Arroyo Grande,
San Luis Obispo, Nipomo and Mission College Prep High Schools.
Coast Union and Morro Bay High Schools are scheduled to
join the program next year. In addition to presentations
in the high schools, 102 EOC Lifebound Leadership 7th and
8th grade students participated in the BTIO Fetal Alcohol,
Drug Affected Dolls and Empathy Belly Program. SLO-CAP and
the SLO County Office of Education will offer the BTIO Fetal
Alcohol and Drug Affected Doll Program to Middle Schools
in 2004-2005 school year.
www.realityworks.com
