The twenty files that constitute this project (of Family Health is one) set out to explore this idea in a variety of contexts and media. The resources contained in this project will assist those who are preparing learners for national qualifications in work-, college-, and community-based settings. The aim is to bridge between content territory on the one hand, and Literacy, Language and Numeracy (LLN) on the other.

The materials build on the firm evidence that there are many adult learners for whom literacy, language and numeracy ‘barriers’ stand in the way of engaging fully and successfully in society. By setting literacy, language and numeracy learning in realistic context-based settings, the hope is that the obvious value of enhancing literacy, language and numeracy skills will be self-apparent to learners.

The resources in this file are intended for use by teachers – coming both from community-based and literacy, language and numeracy backgrounds. The file contains extensive Teacher notes linked to Learner materials that are mainly paper-based, but also include audio clips presented on an audio CD, bringing real-life situations into the learning environment. An additional CD presents PDF and Word® computer files from which the paper-based resources can be reproduced electronically.

The Learner materials are presented in colour in the main teacher reference section of the file, with the relevant Teacher notes interwoven with them. A black-and-white version of the Learner materials, printed at an appropriate resolution that optimises the quality of reproduction when photocopied this way, is also offered as a separate section at the back of the file. Screen-based materials: including generic interactive practice resources Introduction to Family health. This is one of the Project’s community-based files. The approach we have taken with these resources is to identify areas of adult interest and needs, and use these as levers for Literacy, Language and Numeracy skill development. The resources build on an initiative undertaken jointly by the Department of Health and the Department for Education and Skills, Skilled for Health, which aims to develop health awareness in conjunction with developing literacy, language and numeracy skills in a range of pilot projects.

Parents with young children (defined for this purpose as Pre-school) are faced with all sorts of issues, right from the time of their child’s birth. The resources address topics such as accessing health services, healthy eating, child care, and ‘looking after yourself’ – matters that are known to be of concern to young parents. These resources are intended for a wide range of learners, some of whom may find it challenging to articulate and begin to address issues that they have either not experienced, or have actively avoided in the past. Therefore, these materials are designed both to aid literacy, language and numeracy skills development, to increase understanding of health issues, and where necessary to build self-confidence and encourage participation in the learning process.