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Powerful Parenting

Parental Engagement and Relationships (PEAR) Training

Course overview

CDI’s Parental Engagement and Relationships (PEAR) training is a short course designed for Early Childhood Educators and Services to enhance parental engagement, benefiting children and families. It provides practical skills, tools, and strategies, detailed in a comprehensive Toolkit, to foster parental involvement in children’s learning and development. The Toolkit supports staff in building strong partnerships with parents, applicable in both ECEC and primary school settings. The training aims to improve outcomes for children by enhancing participants’ understanding of parental engagement, demonstrating effective practices, and promoting reflective practice. By the course’s end, learners will confidently engage with parents, conduct home visits, and implement parental support strategies.

Who is it for?

Managers and practitioners in ECEC services and students of childcare / ECEC-related courses.

Aims

To support ECEC Services in improving their parental engagement to improve outcomes for children and families.

What will I learn?

 Module 1: Strengths-Based Approach to Parenting
  • Recognising that parents are the experts when it comes to their children
  • Tips to empower parents in their role as primary educators
  • Adopting a strengths-based approach.

Module 2: Building Relationships

  • Building relationships with parents in the initial stages
  • Maintaining and developing ongoing relationships.

Module 3: Inclusion and Partnership

  • The importance of an inclusive and accessible ECEC setting
  • The importance of including fathers and extended family.

Module 4: Improving the Home Learning Environment

  • Supporting parents to improve the home learning environment
  • The potential of home visiting and sample home visiting policy.

Module 5: Supporting Transitions

  • Common fears of parents and children
  • Supporting smooth transitions – from home to ECEC service and from ECEC to primary school.

Module 6: Support with Childhood Difficulties and Referrals

  • Identifying a concern
  • Factors to consider and strategies to use when discussing an issue with parents.

The training and accompanying toolkit are based on CDI’s experience supporting parents through ECEC services in Tallaght. It was designed by Professor Emer Ring, Dean of Early Childhood and Teacher Education at Mary Immaculate College (MIC); Dr. Lisha O’Sullivan, Head of the Department of Reflective Pedagogy and Early Childhood Studies, MIC; and Shirley Heaney, National Programme Coordinator for the Leadership for INClusion in the Early Years (LINC) Programme, MIC.

More about Parental Engagement and Relationships (PEAR) Training

Places are limited!
Book now, using the booking link below.

If you need more information, please contact info@cdi.ie

Course Schedule

In-person course , Childhood Development Initiative, Fettercairn, Tallaght.

3 mornings, 9am—1.30pm, Cost: €130

  • Monday 30th September 2024
  • Monday 7th October 2024
  • Monday 14th October 2024