Clare Jones has been ESOL teaching for over 10 years, she works with asylum seekers and refugees through Family Learning in partnership with the African Community Centre (ACC) and more recently, Swansea Asylum Seeker Support (SASS). Clare teaches seven classes a week, of which three are family learning, but nearly all have creche facilities. This enables mums with babies and pre-schoolers to join classes which they otherwise would not be able to access.

Clare supports those who are often the hardest to reach through the ACC’s community hub, those learners then join new pathways into learning through Family Learning classes. She also delivers another family learning class in partnership with St Joseph’s RC Primary School.

Through the partnership with the ACC, creche facilities are made available for the families; the learners can focus on their classes while their children are safe and entertained. Not only, does this remove childcare barriers and widens access to learning, but it also allows the children to socialise with their peers and the mothers to connect with each other in class.

Clare has developed the Family Learning curriculum and created new resources and materials by writing new units. She is also currently piloting a new Agored course that she designed on behaviour management of children. The new course aims to enable learners to have a safe space to share their own parenting experiences and concerns, whilst gaining more of an understanding of their children’s behaviour and how they can respond appropriately and positively. She develops opportunities for mums to create games, books, and messy play activities for their children, which supports their children’s education whilst building family relationships and fun.