FAMILY CARING TRUST – TRAINING FOR
FACILITATING FAMILY CARING TRUST PARENTING COURSES

Family Caring Trust began to provide skill-based parent education from 1986. In the early years, support for parenting was very limited, and training consisted of regional seminars with an ongoing emphasis on an ‘apprenticeship model’ of learning whereby a trainee facilitator sat in on a course as a ‘helper’ and was gradually given increased responsibility and support during a number of courses.

This ‘apprenticeship training’ (including detailed familiarity with the Leaders Guide and a clear awareness of Family Caring Trust’s Value Base – see that section of our website) is still seen as an important element in learning to facilitate. It is no longer, however, seen as adequate: a more formal and professional training is now expected from both voluntary and statutory organisations using Family Caring Trust’s programmes. Many of these organisations recognise that people today, particularly parents returning to the workplace, appreciate having nationally recognised accreditation. For those who wish to provide an accredited training course in group facilitation skills for their paid or volunteer workers, there is a training pack to help them do so. It has been developed by Susan Tym and Denis Drury of Hallam Caring Services, Sheffield. The pack offers a ready-made tool for training group facilitators, with accreditation by the Open College Network at Level Three.

Once accredited, the facilitators can, if they wish, accredit the learning of the parents who take part in the programmes. This accreditation for parents is offered at levels One and Two. The training pack has been purchased by over a hundred organisations, including LEAs, Borough Councils (Early Years and Child Care Departments), Marriage and Family Life Commissions in a number of dioceses and a variety of voluntary organisations like Barnardos and the Children's Society. The training pack has also been purchased and used extensively by organisations providing non-accredited training.

Providing Accreditation
If you are not accredited but wish to accredit the learning of your group facilitators in this way you need to be an Open College Network approved provider. To find out if you are (or how to become) an approved provider you could contact your nearest branch of the Open College Network (OCN) – ring the OCN national office at 0114-2270500 for details. For Ireland north or south ring Belfast 028-90650200.)

If your organisation is an approved provider you can contact your local Open College Network and ask them to transfer to your organisation ‘Relationships for Life’ (Open College Network South Yorkshire and Humber Programme No 3832) registered with Hallam Caring Services. They will then begin the process of programme transfer.

Contents, Cost and How to Obtain the Pack
The training pack consists of the Training Manual and a copy of the Group Leader’s Handbook. The Manual includes overhead projector slides, trainer’s notes, learning outcomes and assessment criteria and photocopy-able forms to aid accreditation. It costs £98 sterling, which is not expensive as you may continue to re-use these materials for training group facilitators as often as you need to.

Supervision
Access to a trained supervisor is also now seen as an integral part of running a course – so that you can improve what you are providing and talk out any difficulties that arise. This is especially important if you are dealing with parents who are more than usually needy. We have always encouraged informal phone contact between facilitators plus regular supervisory meetings in which facilitators can participate in ongoing training and share breakthroughs and difficulties, and we have been impressed by the energy and inspiration which participants gain from such contacts.