Training For Practitioners
READINESS REFLECTION
Communities replicate the evidence-based Parents as First Teachers model within an organisational context that has the staffing, capacity and community relationships necessary for successful implementation and achievements of outcomes.
We are pleased that you are interested in implementing the PAFT model to address the needs of families within your community. The following questions are intended as reflection and discussion points to maximise the success of a new PAFT affiliate.
Since compliance with the essential requirements is necessary to become a PAFT affiliate, please ensure that key decision makers review the Parents as Teachers Quality Assurance (QA) Guidelines. The QA Guidelines clearly lay out the expectations for replication of the PAFT Model with an emphasis on meeting the Essential Requirements.
Community Context: How have you determined a need for Parents as First Teachers in your community?
Needs and Relationships: Are you aware of other similar services in your community? If so, how will Parents as First Teachers complement and extend these services?
Assets in Place: What assets are already in place in your organisation and what resources might you bring in to strengthen the staffing component?
READINESS REFLECTION: NEXT STEPS
Once you have completed the Readiness Reflection and are ready to become a PAFT Affiliate, the next step is to complete the Affiliate Plan. Please contact Parents as First Teachers and we will send you one.
The Affiliate Plan must be completed and approved by the National Office prior to registering staff for certification training. To become certified parent educators, staff successfully complete the Combined Foundation and Model Implementation trainings.
As a PAFT Affiliate your organisation becomes a partner with an evidence-based home visiting model with numerous studies demonstrating positive outcomes. A successful and sustainable programme must clearly demonstrate its evidence and research base as well as mechanisms for establishing and maintaining model fidelity. Parents as First Teachers provides this foundation to your organisation- and more.
Training Courses
Pre-birth to age 6 – Foundational and Model Implementation Training
The Foundational and Model Implementation training is delivered in two segments. The Foundational training segment takes a flipped learning approach. Participants complete a module of self-paced learning, complete and submit a short assignment and then meet with the training cohort in a 2 hour interactive Zoom session. Two trainers facilitate these sessions, as well as providing written feedback on each assignment to consolidate and extend the participants’ learning experience. This segment is a full working week commitment and there are 6 modules to complete in total.
The Model Implementation training segment consists of 2 full days on Zoom. There are no self-paced modules or assignments to complete as all the learning content is covered during the two days live Zoom sessions.
In order to certify, participants must attend all Foundational AND Model Implementation training segments and complete all module assignments.
THE TRAINING COVERS
Development-centered parenting and family well-being.
Facilitation of parent child interaction.
The value of play and the adults’ role.
Neuroscience research on early development and learning (pre-birth to age 6).
Strategies for successful parental engagement.
Positive parenting behaviours.
Strategies to support families in school readiness.
Effective personal visits.
How to successfully facilitate parent group meetings, with topics related to development and parenting issues of children pre-birth to age 6.
Ways to provide connection to community resources.
Service to diverse families.
Strategies on using programme resources to support families when a child has developmental delays.
Recruitment and programme organisation.
Forthcoming Trainings
(In order to certify, participants must attend Foundational AND Model Implementation)
Recent Participant Feedback
“A strength of the training is the online curriculum and wealth of excellent resources, including the Quality Assurance tools.”
“So beneficial being able to complete a Personal Visit Plan, a Group Connections plan AND having the interaction with other local authorities.”
“The training was enjoyable and informative; I cannot wait to start implementing this in my organisation.”
“I have definitely learnt more about child development and how important it is for parent/child interaction to improve attachment and brain development.”
“I now have a clear understanding that the more parents know and understand about their child’s development, the more they can buffer stress.”
From participants that completed Foundational and Model Implementation (FMI) training, virtually - July 2024