Community Bubs: 10 years on

Research and Evaluation Qualitative Report 02 / 2015

Community Bubs: 10 Years On

“We are proud of Community Bubs and its 10-year success story. We call it Community Bubs because we want the whole community to be responsible for children, particularly vulnerable children. These children need our help, so they can do well and make sure that they don’t go on into a life where they don’t finish school, potentially end up in juvenile justice, or, because they haven’t experienced good parenting, find it hard to become good parents themselves. This makes sense, as both a intensive intervention but also as a prevention initiative for the next generation.”

Jo Cavanagh OAM CEO Family Life

Key Findings • Six mothers were interviewed at the 10-year Community Bubs reunion • The mothers reflected on their time in the program and how things had been for their family since • The key themes reported by the mothers were that they strengthened their community connections, increased their parenting skills and knowledge, achieved personal growth, and that their child’s developmental needs were met • Most mothers had gone on to further work and study in areas such as nursing, teaching and child care • All children had remained living safely at home

Community Bubs is generously funded by the Cybec Foundation, Cabrini Health and the Barr Family Foundation.

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Family Life - Community Bubs: 10 Years On

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Background

In 2013-2014, 1 in 37 children received child protection services such as investigation, care and protection orders, or out-of-home care placements.

This is a 6% rise from the previous 12 months.

Research has shown that the risk of child maltreatment is increased when parents lack parenting skills and knowledge, and when they are socially isolated (Tomison, 1998).

Parent education and support programs that can increase parental knowledge of child development, assist with developing parenting skills and confidence, and normalise the challenges of parenting, can improve outcomes for families and children (Holzer, Higgins, Bromfield & Higgins, 2006).

Community Bubs

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Community Bubs is a philanthropically-funded program run by Family Life that supports families in the community to ensure babies thrive and develop in a safe and supportive environment.

This Family Life innovation applies evidence and best-practice research in a 12-month program to assist families where parents might be struggling with parenting or experiencing complex issues such as homelessness, family violence, and drug and alcohol issues. The families may be at-risk of child protection removing children from their care.

Pilot Program The pilot program of Community Bubs commenced in August 2003 and formally concluded in June 2006. Based on a socioecological model, the program provided up to 12 months intervention for families of infants at risk, which included individual, group and community support. Over the period of intervention, parents in the program moved from intensive holistic support provided by a Parent Support Worker to volunteer-supported community participation.

An evaluation of the pilot by Monash University found: 87% of participant families developed and maintained community connections;

establish stability, form connections in their community, and safely care for their children who were initially deemed to be at-risk in the family home.

Aim

The aim of this small qualitative study was to find out ten years later, how some of the families have progressed since their time in the Community Bubs pilot program.

Methodology Recruitment of Participants

100% of infants remained living safely at home;

As part of the 10-year Community Bubs reunion in 2014, past-parent participants of the program were invited to reflect on their Community Bubs experience and share how things had been going for them since their time in the program.

87% of infants established a positive attachment with their parents; and

Six mothers agreed to participate and tell their story.

80% of participant families showed reduced risk factors;

87% of families showed evidence of stability in maintaining housing, managing finances and key relationships

The Community Bubs pilot program was shown to provide an effective early intervention program for the majority of participant families who were identified, largely by primary care providers, as being at-risk. The pilot program was beneficial in enabling participants to reach personal goals,

Interviews Six parents were interviewed in October 2014 as part of the 10-year Community Bubs reunion celebration. Interviews ranged from 20—40 minutes in length. Five out of six interviews were with mothers and one interview was with both a mother and her mother-in-law.

All interviews were video-taped and transcribed.

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Participants were asked about their life before entering the Community Bubs program, their experience of the program itself including any difference the program made for them, and how their life as a parent had been since the program.

Data Analysis The qualitative interview data was analysed using a thematic approach. Interviews were transcribed and themes coded for each participant. Recurrent themes and areas of difference were then identified. This is represented in the following findings.

Findings Connecting to people and community Before Community Bubs, parents reported feeling isolated and lonely.

“I felt so isolated and alone and helpless before Community Bubs.” (Respondent 6) Social isolation and lack of access to social supports has been shown to be a risk factor for child abuse and neglect. (Australian Institute of Family Studies, 2013).

Community Bubs connected families with each other through a community house where parents could meet each other and spend time playing with their children.

“I enjoyed meeting other people and the new babies and the kids, and having a play while we sit down and have a cuppa with all the other mums and do different activities, reading, painting…” (Respondent 3) Knowing that other parents were going through similar challenges was a powerful outcome for some parents.

“It let you know that you weren’t the only person in this circumstance and you weren’t alone.”

(Respondent 1) These new connections helped families feel connected to their local community.

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“Community Bubs made me feel part of a community because I had somewhere to go.

Coming to the community house was brilliant because I knew that I had a place to go to. I knew that there were people here that were going to greet me, accept me, help me to join in… I just felt like I belonged and that made all the difference in the world.” (Respondent 5)

“I was introduced to a lot of people… I didn’t feel so isolated and it really got me through when I was really struggling in the early years with my daughter. She (the Parent Support Worker ) introduced me to a lot of new friends, people who will remain with me for life.” (Respondent 2)

For one mother, the constancy and predictability of the community house in a time when life was challenging, was important.

“For me, it is a space that you could come to or not come to, but it was there. It was there all of the time so you could see how you felt on the day and just turn up and you knew that someone was there with either a hug or a cup of tea or whatever. It was predictable.” (Respondent 4) Many parents reported that they had formed lasting friendships during their time at Community Bubs, which have been maintained over a decade.

“Community Bubs helped enormously, especially with Keith Street Community House, because you were able to come to somewhere communal, you were able to get out of your own house, out of your own environment. You were able to meet other people who were in similar circumstances as you and the friendships that you were just amazing. I can say, I’ve got some of the best friends now that I met from Community Bubs.”

(Respondent 1)

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Building parenting skills and knowledge A common theme amongst parents who were interviewed was that they initially felt overwhelmed or uncertain in their parenting role.

“Before I started with Community Bubs I had two children, babies, and I was feeling quite overwhelmed… I’ve got these two kids, what do I do now?” (Respondent 1) One parent was struggling to understand cultural differences when it came to parenting.

“Most important was having someone listen to me, show me things to do with having a baby in this country that were different to my country.”

(Respondent 6)

Personal growth Some mothers reported feeling low in confidence before Community Bubs.

“I started off very shy and then warmed up to everybody.” (Respondent 3) “Everyone talked about, ‘We are doing this and we are doing that’, but I was kind of like just managing, just barely surviving. People would say, Oh, you’re such a survivor and you’re such a battler’, and I’d be like, ‘But I’ve had enough. I don’t want to battle anymore. I don’t want to be just a survivor. I want to be more’.”(Respondent 4) Through Community Bubs, parents reported significant growth in self-confidence.

Parents were supported with learning new skills to use in their parenting role and this saw their confidence grow.

“I personally had a few little skill sets that I brought in. I ran a ‘Making your own Angels’ class, so there’s that boost of confidence that you are giving something back.” (Respondent 2)

“I was helped so much at the time, when I was struggling with a lot of parenting things… She (the Parent Support Worker) helped me feel more confident as a mum. I think without her I would have been completely lost and struggling… she helped me with a whole range of different parenting strategies.” (Respondent 2)

“I was at a point in my life where I had lost all confidence, confidence within myself, the ability to look after my child, even something as little as walking down the street. I couldn’t do any of those things. Coming into the Community Bubs program helped me to do those things.”

(Respondent 5)

“Community Bubs helped me engage with my child. I felt more confident being a mum when I was really quite nervous about being a mum for the first time.” (Respondent 2)

One parent said being part of Community Bubs made her want something more for her future and that of her family.

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Family Life - Community Bubs: 10 Years On

”I got to see how Community Bubs came in and what they did and I wanted to do that. I wanted to be that. If you can help a mum or dad… to be a better parent or the best parent, or understand that they are already a brilliant parent, then that’s the best job in the world. For me, I now get to do that in my job, in my career...” (Respondent 4)

Meeting children’s developmental needs Parents reported that Community Bubs also helped meet their child’s developmental needs. ”My child got to experience a social network in her early stages which helped her develop in her early years.” (Respondent 2) “The better I became as a mum (as a result of Community Bubs) and the more confident I became as a person, the more I could help my son with his needs from autism. It was something that required a lot of effort, patience, compassion.

A whole lot of things that I don’t think I would have had if I hadn’t been in the Community Bubs program from the beginning.” (Respondent 5)

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Life after Community Bubs* Debbie Feeling overwhelmed and isolated when she first came into Community Bubs, this mother is now a qualified nurse who is studying natural medicine.

“I’m a lot more confident now than I was all those years ago and I know what I want and I know what I’ll accept, and I know what I won’t accept, and I think that Community Bubs helped me get there.”

Jessica Feeling nervous about becoming a parent and struggling in the early months of her child’s life, this mother still finds things hard sometimes.

“Life is still a struggle but I do try my best to get through every day and do what’s best for my children. They’re at school now, so I just try to get through the school years with them and try and be positive as much as I can.”

Anya This mum with an intellectual disability was supported by her mother-in-law but needed extra support. She stills remembers her time at Community Bubs.

“We loved the place. We miss coming here.”

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Jasmine With four children, this mother was at risk of child protection removing her children as a result of significant mental health issues. She is now married and runs her own business.

“We live in a house. We are looking at buying a house. So compared to then life now is pretty awesome.”

Ebony This mother engaged with Community Bubs after 6 months in a mother baby unit with post natal depression. Now she is working four days a week as a lecturer.

“If you can believe and respect yourself, then you can believe and respect other people, and I think that is the most crucial thing about being a human being.”

Ada This mother was a newly-arrived refugee when she first engaged with Community Bubs. She was fearful about the new environment she was in where everything felt unfamiliar. She is now working 3 days in child care.

“I have made friends through my son’s school and my older child is going to university and will hopefully get a good job. I know people in my neighbourhood now.” * Names have been changed

Summary

References

While challenges have remained, as they do for any parent, ‘all children have remained living safely at home’. Mothers reported gaining confidence, forming friendships, raising their children well, going on to work and study, and feeling connected to those around them.

Tomison, A. (1998). Valuing parent education: a cornerstone of child abuse prevention. Child Abuse Prevention Issues 10, Australian Institute of Family Studies

As part of this project, six mothers who were participants in the pilot program of Community Bubs in 2003 reflected on their time in the program and how life has been for them since.

“I don’t feel so isolated… It got me through when I was really struggling… Because everybody needs somebody and people don’t want to feel isolated, and they need to know that there’s people who care and there’s support for people that are struggling, who’ve been through tough times and they just need to know that they’ve got people.”

Holzer, P., Higgins, J., Bromfield, L., Richardson, N. & Higgins, D. (2006). The effectiveness of parent education programs and home visiting child maltreatment programs. NCPC Issues 24, Australian Institute of Family Studies

Australian Institute of Family Studies (2013). Risk and protective factors for child abuse and neglect, CFCA Resource Sheet March 2013.

Acknowledgements

Family Life would like to acknowledge and thank the six mothers who shared their stories about their Community Bubs experience with us.

Family Life acknowledges Cabrini Health for funding this monograph project and for their ongoing support, together with the Cybec Foundation and the Barr Family Foundation, of the Community Bubs program.

Authors

Alicia McCoy, Primary Author Judith Latta, Supporting Author Marilyn Ellis, Interviewer

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Family Life is an independent, entrepreneurial community agency, working with vulnerable families, children and young people in Victoria. info@familylife.com.au

www.familylife.com.au Family Life Limited ABN: 37 712 782 209 ACN: 606 542 590 Copyright Š Family Life 2015