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MINUTES
In Attendance: Suzanne Wallace, Ginny Molleur, Carol Corliss, Ellen San, Kathleen Service, Pam Langer, Ruth Freeman, Mary Burke, Lynn Webber, Patty Berky, Kimberly Martini-Carvell, Eileen Lader, Diana Thibodeau, Sheri Barao, Karen Mastroianni, Carole Weisberg, Deb Resnick, Colleen Brower, Maureen T. Mulroy
Welcome and Orientation: The meeting was called to order with attendees introducing themselves. Maureen Mulroy provided a brief orientation for new members of the Phase 1 credential process and its 2007 outcome document, Proposed Parenting Educator Credential. She presented an overview of the Phase 2 credential process which involved the formation of 4 Credential Task Work Groups and their charge C developing a Code of Ethics; identifying relevant Formal Education (college) courses, majors, degree programs; Vetting parenting education curricula and trainings; and development of credential Application forms and processes. Maureen explained that participants in the Phase 2 processes identified areas requiring further input/advice/discussion and that this meeting was organized for the purposes of sharing what had been learned and in formulating action plan(s) that will continue the forward momentum.
Credential Work Group Progress Reports:
Carol Corliss spoke on behalf of the Code of Ethics Work Group. She briefly described the process they used in selecting and then adapting the National Council on Family Relations s Ethical Guidelines for Family and Parent Educators.
Carole Weisberg described the work that the Formal Education Work Group undertook in identifying college courses, degrees, etc. and enumerated a number of issues that the Work Group believed required more information, clearer directives, e.g. What constitutes the core or essential knowledge and skills of a parenting educator C lifespan human development course? Infancy through adolescence? Adult learning? Carole also shared the group s belief that a career track must be outlined for Level 1 parenting educators that is instructive and educative in nature.
Diana Thibodeau described the group s experience vetting 2 curricula that are currently in use <Strengthening Families and Magic 1-2-3>. She related the dilemmae that this exercise brought into focus, i.e., Should we only vett curricula that have a Train-the-Trainer process embedded? What do we do about curricula that people can purchase and use without be trained? C Should we just give the curricula a NEPEF content profile? Diana indicated that the Vetting Work Group needed more guidance but would most likely focus their activity on vetting Train-The-Trainer curricula.
Patty Berky noted that copies of their Work Group s reports were on the CTPEN website. She noted that the group recognized the need for developing processes, forms, documents to facilitate the work of Carole Weisberg at Charter Oak State College who would eventually be responsible for processing the credential applications and awarding the credential.
Presentation of the Parenting Educators Ethical Principles and Guidelines document: Carole Corliss presented the document on behalf of the Work Group and asked for feedback on its wording and recommendation for next steps. Lynn Webber served as the facilitator for the discussion. Each section of the document was reviewed. If questions arose, they were discussed and resolved. A few word and/or format changes were recommended. Carol Corliss assumed the responsibility for incorporating the recommended changes. The following next steps plan of action was formulated:
- The edited document will be send to the attendees of today s meeting for their review and final comments;
- The document will be prepared for posting to the CTPEN website as well as for emailing;
- Feedback on the document will be sought via facilitated discussions at CTPEN Regional Group meetings. An invitation to attend one of these meetings will be extended via an email that will be sent to the CTPEN membership list and to the larger Interested Partners list. A copy of the document will be attached to the email invitation;
o Note: Sept/Oct/Fall was discussed as a possible time period for rolling out the document.
- The Code of Ethics Work Group will utilize the collected feedback to finalize the Ethical Guidelines document;
- The CTPEN Leadership Team will propose that the Ethical Principles and Guidelines document C (1) be accepted by the CTPEN membership as a governing document; and that, (2) acceptance of the document be noted via signature and become part of the credential application process. This proposal will be voted on by the CTPEN membership at the 2010 annual conference.
o Note: While discussion of the document will be an important focus of the Regional Group meetings, it does not have to be the sole purpose of the meeting. It may be a good platform for establishing or re-establishing professional networking, resource sharing, etc.
Luncheon Conversation:
1. There was consensus about the need and value for two types of regularly scheduled meetings/conversations/networking events of parenting educators about parenting education.
- It was suggested that Directors and Supervisors and similar level professionals from public and private parent and family serving agencies, organizations, institutions could benefit from a quarterly meeting at which issues of mutual interest and concern are addressed. Ruth Freeman shared examples of possible win-win outcomes, e.g. training calendars are shared to avoid scheduling conflicts, the cost of professional development training is shared among agencies/organizations or open to appropriate personnel at other agencies.
o Possible participants would represent the Children s Trust Fund, Commission on Children, Head Start, CT Infant Mental Health Assn., representatives from DCF, DMHAS, etc.
- It was also recognized that the folk in the trenches also need an opportunity to meet with others, share ideas and resources, problem solve, and learn from each other, etc. It was the group s consensus that the CTPEN Regional Group meetings were an excellent vehicle for promoting this form of networking and reducing a sense of personal or professional isolation.
- It was decided that this Haddam group would reconvene on August 11th , 9:30 -11:30, at the Village For Families and Children in Hartford to develop actions plans for Regional Group revitalization and fostering more inter-connectedness with other agencies, organizations, and groups.
2. The idea of developing an electronic CTPEN newsletter also surfaced in conversation as a means for reconnecting and/or reigniting interest. TheWho? What? When? And How? of it will require further discussion and consideration.
Next Steps in the Credential Process:
It was decided that this Haddam Credential Update group <and any other people who wish to join us> needs to meet on a quarterly basis for updates, problem solving, etc. It was thought that scheduling these quarterly meetings before the quarterly meetings of the CTPEN General Membership Meeting in Meriden <3rd Tuesday in Oct/Jan/Apr/July, 2:00 C 4:00> and the CAB meetings <3rd Thursday in Oct/Jan/Apr/July, 2:30 C 4:30 at Charter Oak College> made sense and would be an excellent way of keeping everyone updated.
o After considerable conversation it was decided that the Update Group would meet on the 2nd Tuesday in Oct/Jan/Apr/July, 11:00 C 1:00.
Next meeting will be Oct 13th , 11:00 C 1:00 pm at the Haddam Extension Center. Maureen Mulroy will arrange for refreshments but people should brown bag .
Carole Weisberg requested that:
o Phase 1 documents outlining parenting educator competencies by Levels be re-introduced and utilized during this next phase of credential development C all agreed.
o Vacant positions on the Formal Education Work Group be filled immediately. The following people volunteered to serve on this group: Pam Langer, Colleen Brower, Lynn Webber, Deb Resnick, Carole Weisberg.
Diana Thibodeau requested suggestions on next steps for the Vetting Work Group. It was suggested that this group:
o Focus energies, at this point, on vetting Train-the-Trainer curricula (e.g. PAT, FDC, BFF}. They might wish to issue an email request for these types of curricula utilizing the CTPEN Membership and Interested Partners lists.
o When ready, members of this Work Group could turn their attention to developing NEPEF profiles for content type curricula.
o Maureen Mulroy recommended that the task of vetting informal educational workshops be removed from the responsibilities of this group and tabled for further action once the credential is operational C all agreed.
Patty Berky noted that the Applications Work Group activities were dependent upon the decisions that needed to be made by both the Formal Education and Vetting Work Groups. She suggested that the Applications Work Group reconvene and take action at appropriate junctures depending upon the progress of the other groups C all agreed.
Pam Langer asked the Code of Ethics Work Group to revisit the other tools included in the NCFR booklet, Tools for Ethical Thinking and Practice in Family Life Education (e.g. Case Study Process) and outline how CTPEN might wish to utilize these ideas in promoting the ethical background and training of its members.
Maureen Mulroy invited participants in this credential Update Group to meet with the CTPEN Leadership Team at their monthly meetings. She will send a Doodle email to all participants to see if we can find a day and time that can fit everyone s meeting availability.
o Pam Langer will see what days/times SERC might have available for the monthly CTPEN meeting.
Maureen Mulroy distributed copies of the Self-Assessment for Parenting Educators tool that Karen DeBord developed based on NEPEF. She suggested that it might inform the deliberations of the other Work Groups and that we might consider adapting it to serve as a preliminary process that applicants might use to organize their materials for the credential application process.
Minutes submitted by:
Maureen T. Mulroy
7/24/09
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