A Telford teenager was reduced to tears by cruel jibes made about her during a childcare project.
Her father has now hit out at the ‘disgusting’ attitude of other people, which he says has damaged what should have been a positive experience.
Year 11 students at Madeley Academy were taking part in a childcare project which saw them looking after a Real Care Baby – a doll that simulates a newborn infant from birth to three months old.
The baby is so realistic that it cries to be cared for and the students have to feed, burp, rock and change the doll’s nappy – as if they were looking after a real child.
But 15-year-old Katie Evans was left in tears after taking the doll to a Telford supermarket where she heard another shopper call her a slag, having assumed she was a teenage mother.
Katie’s step father Trevor Jordan, from Bayley Road, Arleston, said Katie was horrified, and that it spoiled the rest of the weekend’s experience.
“Katie collected the ‘baby’ on Friday afternoon and because she wanted to get the full experience of looking after the baby she went to the supermarket instead of getting a lift home. While she was there these ladies made the comments, assuming she was a teenage mum.
“It was a disgusting thing to say: she could just as easily have been looking after a younger brother or sister, or babysitting.
“She came home in tears and wouldn’t go out again for the rest of the weekend.
“She’s a very responsible girl and had been looking forward to taking the baby out in the town with her dad to get the full experience, but in the end she didn’t dare go out again in case more people made comments like that.”
Katie’s father Gwyn Evans said: “I think it is disgusting for anyone, no matter what their opinion, to make the comment that this particular woman made. This person totally wrecked my daughter’s confidence, and spoiled what should have been a learning curve, giving my daughter a life experience. Instead she felt that she was wrong for taking part in this project.
“If more schools could afford to run this type of project then I am sure the teenage pregnancy rate would drop, especially if comments like the one that my daughter received were made to others!”
Ian Lawson, director for vocational training at Madeley Academy, said: “I’m sorry to hear that Katie had such a bad experience. As part of the child development course all the students get to look after the computerised baby. They have it set on the hardest programme, which means over the weekend they have to do over 100 things for the baby and they have three nights of broken sleep.
“It’s a good experience for them to have as it teaches them life skills and also gives them insight into what it’s like to look after a baby for any future career in childcare or for parenthood.”
A Telford & Wrekin Council spokesman said: “Telford & Wrekin Council has been involved in partnership with NHS Telford and Wrekin to deliver the Maybe Baby scheme.
“This gives young people – usually young women – an opportunity to look after a ‘baby’.
“There is research and evidence to suggest initiatives like this, contributes towards reducing teenage pregnancy.”
By Pam Griffin