VIRTUAL BABY PROJECT

This type of project is being used in schools, colleges and youth groups across the country. The babies have been introduced into curriculum subjects as an educational tool in child development, childcare, caring, SRE and PHSE lessons.

What is a Virtual Baby?

A “virtual baby” is a computerised life-sized doll. Just like a new-born baby it is about 21 inches long and weighs around 7lb. It’s used to teach students just how demanding a young child is. The high-tech baby is responsive to how it is treated and it makes sure its adopted parent knows if it is upset and it records whether it has been properly looked after. When the baby cries (using recordings of actual babies) it is the student’s responsibility to determine and provide the type of care the baby needs:

feeding; burping; changing; rocking.

This provides an inter-active, hands on learning experience. Soothing the baby can take anything up to half-an-hour but the reward is hearing the baby cooing when it is happy. Students even have to support the baby's head correctly. The baby monitors whether it has been mishandled, moved too quickly and how long it has cried for before a response. Each baby is programmed to respond to a specific student using an ID attached to the student’s wrist with a tamperproof wristband. A full analysis of the quality of care is provided by the baby at the end of the session. A copy of this analysis is provided for each student to keep.

How Does It Work?

Over a number of sessions, young people are taken through a range of topics including:

• body image and self-esteem
• sexual health
• contraception
• relationships
• the effects of drugs and alcohol (particularly during pregnancy)
• parenting skills.
• Money, housing, education, and culture are discussed.
• Role-play is used to illustrate:
• breaking the news of pregnancy to their own parents
• the reaction of young fathers
• how it actually feels to be responsible for another human being.

Attitudes and stereotypes about young people and teenage parents are explored. There are discussions about the media and the views of society, as well as poverty and isolation and how you cope with such pressures. The final session includes input from a “peer educator” who speaks openly and honestly about the realities of teenage pregnancy and how it feels to be a young parent.

Special Babies ?

As well as the ordinary babies the project has two special babies: “Foetal Alcohol Syndrome” baby - shows the physical impact heavy drinking can have on an unborn baby. “Drug Affected” baby - this baby shakes and cries constantly. A visible reminder of the effects of drugs during pregnancy.

These babies have a striking effect on students, a reminder of the physical and mental damage that may be caused by drug taking and excessive drinking.

Peer Educators

These are young people who are themselves ‘teenage parents’. These young people will be involved in the project by not just sharing their own experiences of pregnancy, childbirth and parenthood but by helping us to monitor and evaluate the project in terms of content and approach. They tell us what they wished they had known so together we can ensure that others do know. It enables the project to be as relevant and effective as possible.

How Can We Help You?

We are able to offer the Project to young people in all sorts of settings – schools, youth centres, youth organisations etc. We will provide a programme uniquely tailored to your needs, from a few hourly sessions and day courses to a full 10 session package, (recognised by the Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme.) Please contact us for further details, costs etc.