Morgan first had contact with Romsey Mill’s Young Parents Programme (YPP) in the summer of 2020. Covid restrictions were very tight, and Morgan was pregnant with her first baby. Morgan and her partner, Kai, were both working full-time and were surrounded by a very supportive family network. Here she tells part of their story:

“Romsey Mill has been amazing at helping me from when I was pregnant up until now, 2 years later.

I joined the antenatal classes online due to Covid, but they were still very good. I learnt loads that I didn’t knows before, and it made me more relaxed when thinking about labour.”

Bonnie-May was born at a point when home visits were still impossible due to the Covid restrictions that were in place, so Morgan and her YPP worker did laps of the local village with Bonnie-May in the buggy, as a way to catch up.  Fortunately, it was around this time that the Government recognised the vulnerabilities of new parents and made it possible for socially distanced (non-mobile) baby groups to take place. 

Morgan says: “Romsey Mill have helped me make lots of new mum friends through Babies and Buddies and friends for Bonnie-May to play with. I would probably never have done this if it wasn’t for Romsey Mill. It gave me confidence.”

Each January, the Young Parents Programme runs a Bronze Arts Award Course in partnership with the Fitzwilliam Museum and Covid wasn’t going to get in the way of this! Morgan was provided with weekly resources and online tutorials to cover the content.

In April 2021, the Young Parents Programme acquired two additional members of staff and Morgan’s support was transferred to new Young Parents Development Worker, Christian Osborne. Christian was able to home visit and spent time helping Morgan learn some baby signing to use with Bonnie-May. Morgan and Kai both worked to learn the signing and Bonnie-May now confidently uses lots of signs and loves to chat, too. 

Morgan says: “Romsey Mill have helped Bonnie-May to pick up some baby signs to help her communicate with me.”

Eventually, having been weekly regulars for as long as possible, Bonnie-May became too old for the Babies and Buddies group. At this point the YPP team linked Morgan up with a Family Worker from her local Child and Family Centre and, with the help of a few other young mums, they set up an Under 25s parent and baby/toddler group. Helping Morgan to be involved in this way ensured that the new group took place on a day that she could attend.