What is Mentoring?
Conway Cradle Care is a childcare and outreach program for expectant and parenting adolescents who are striving to complete their high school educations, pursuing their GED, college, technical school, job training, or Conway Cradle Care graduates. Being a teen parent is hard emotionally, socially, financially, and educationally. Our program offers valuable life and parenting skills education, free tutoring, and a support group of fellow teen parents who are facing a similar situation. We also have a Parent Resource Library available. It is geared towards helping to prepare adolescent parents for graduation and beyond by mentoring and providing resources to assist them and their child. Mentoring Program services are available to any expectant or parenting adolescent in Faulkner or Perry Counties.
What is an Individual Mentoring Session?
The Mentoring Program Director meets with each Cradle Care client during school hours (study halls or non-core classes as school administration allows; 15-20 minute maximums) to discuss the individual concerns of the parent and/or child. This includes addressing subjects such as prenatal care, developmental needs of the client's child, goals for the students education and self-sufficiency, parental concerns, relationships, emotional support, items needed for the child, etc. The client works with the mentor to set short and long term goals such as getting a driver's license, signing up for the ACT, creating a resume, etc. and ultimately, GRADUATING!
What is a Parent Meeting?
These meetings are conducted bi-weekly with expectant and parenting adolescents on Thursdays in Conway from 3:30-4:30 PM. Free childcare is included during the parents meetings, and students are provided with a healthy, low budget meal along with instructions to prepare the meal at home (funded by the Blue & You Foundation for a Healthier Arkansas). Parent meetings include relevant parenting and life skills with topics including child development, child safety, nutrition and health, healthy relationships, personal finances and budgeting, teen support groups and services, etc. are covered at each meeting. All expectant and parenting teens are invited to attend. Family members and individuals closely involved in your child's life are welcome as well!
What is Tutoring?
Free tutoring is available at Conway Cradle Care in partnership with UCA BearServe AmeriCorp. All tutors have completed a Child Maltreatment Background Check. Tutoring is supervised at all times by the Mentoring Program Director.
Our Mentoring Program
Mentors at Work
Having a support system is one of the key ways an individual has the ability to achieve. Our mentoring program ensures our teen parents have a strong and reliable support system.
We have also recently started an Adolescent Fatherhood Initiative to better serve the young fathers who participate in the Mentoring Program. Each male client is paired with a volunteer male mentor who is a successful father and community member. An Adolescent Fatherhood Curriculum, funded by the United Way of Central Arkansas, is utilized to guide each volunteer male mentor. This Initiative is supervised by the CCC Mentoring Program Director.
