Mum in custody Elina* wasn’t sure what she’d think of our parenting program, Bringing Up Great Kids, when she started it at a Queensland Correctional Centre.
However, it didn’t take her long to go from being a little disruptive to absolutely engaged in the program and the information she was learning.
“Elina listened intently during the first session and felt comfortable enough to approach me at the end to explain that she could not read or write.
“We discussed some accommodations we could make to ensure she could participate and make the most of the program despite this,” said our team.
“She didn’t speak much about her family situation. She just put her head down and worked hard in the program despite her literacy challenges. She was very consistent with her attendance.”
After completing the parenting program, Elina put her hand up to do our Storytime program, where a parent in custody reads a storybook and their voice recording and the book is sent to their children to have a piece of their missed parent at home.
“I was really pleased that despite not being able to read, she trusted me enough to ask for help in making a recording,” said our team.
“I found a story that she could ‘read’ the pictures of and easily memorise and took it to her one week before we ran the program.
“We went through the story together, and she took the book away to practice with the help of her friends.
“She was very excited when she returned to read the story and recorded it on her first go!” said our team.
It is clear that Elina is incredibly proud of her achievements and that her children know she’s worked extra hard to make this just for them.
“A friend of hers told me that she had really put a huge effort into practising the story, even discussing the expression she should use.”
After the package was sent to some very excited children, Elina told our team that since recording her Storytime, she’d been walking around the centre with an extra pep in her step, knowing she had achieved something meaningful for herself and her children.”
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