Parenting Facilitation Training

For some parents, conflict continues to create distress for them and their children beyond the separation and/or divorce. Problems may arise over issues that are not specifically addressed in their parenting plan. For example, the parenting plan may say that parents decide together on extra-curricular activities for their children but may not indicate how to deal with disagreements about these activities. When a conflict arises, children often feel caught in the middle. This situation may put them at greater risk for emotional and behavioral problems—e.g., poor school performance, anxiety, uncontrollable anger, and depression. While divorce itself places children at risk for various psychological difficulties, research has shown that the strongest predictor of child maladjustment after divorce is exposure to high levels of inter-parental conflict, particularly when the conflict is hostile, aggressive, poorly resolved, and focused on issues pertaining to the children. In a small percentage of families of divorce, such conflict continues at a high level for several years following the formal divorce decree, and it typically causes the children and the parents to suffer significant and prolonged psychological distress. Intense and prolonged inter-parental conflict can also cause problems for children indirectly. It can impair the ability of each parent to deal effectively with the children. It can also draw the children into the conflict and disrupt the children’s relationships with one or both parents. Children may be exposed to alienating and/or estrangement behaviors by one or both parents. In addition, it can lead to a reduction in financial support of the children by one or both parents due to the financial costs of repeated litigation and one or both parents becoming less willing to contribute financially. In some cases, the behaviors of one or both parents may lead to the alienation of the children's relationship with a parent. Parenting coordination and parenting facilitation are problem-solving services offered to parents raising children between homes who seek professional assistance in working together to keep their children free from the parents’ conflicts. Both are child-centered dispute resolution services that assist parents in developing and implementing workable parenting plans when they are unable to do so on their own. Both services may be ordered for families through the court for high conflict families and are codified in the Texas Family Code and Texas licensing boards (see below). The presenters will address appropriate professional boundaries and assist to clearly define roles. To be a parenting facilitator in Texas, you are required to have 88 hours of training. This training is designed to provide the 16 hours of training in the laws governing parenting coordination and parenting facilitation and the multiple styles and procedures used in different models of service required to serve as a parenting coordinator or facilitator in Texas (see below), and covers the following learning objectives: Understand the roles of parenting coordinator and parenting facilitator, including working in an interdisciplinary psycho-legal context. Understand the different formats/approaches to parenting coordination and parenting facilitation. Better understand co-parenting issues and the needs of parents and children in dealing with co-parenting issues, with emphasis on high conflict families. Review the development of parenting plans and parenting coordination and parenting facilitation techniques and issues. Discuss the ethical challenges of parenting coordination and parenting facilitation. Learn tools for option development with conflicted families.
TRAINING DATES
WHEN: May 25 & 26, 2023 8:30 to 4:30 Please Note: 2 hours training online will be available online and required to be completed prior to the live training. Lunch sponsored by OurFamilyWizard.com will be provided on the 26th COST: $425.00 per person Get Tickets WHERE: Beckloff Behavioral Health Center 17210 Campbell Road Suite 200 Dallas, TX 75252 For questions about the training call (972) 897-0440 or e-mail brad@childreninthemiddle.com For the best experience, this training is limited to the first 25 paid participants. To register for our 16 hour training, please click get tickets: Cancellation Policy In the event you cancel seven days prior to the training date, you will received a full refund. If you cancel less than 7 days prior to the training date, there will be no refund made. You may at designate a substitute to attend the training session being offered. Questions? Please e-mail brad@childreninthemiddle.com If you would like to be put on a waiting list or notified of future training, click here.
	Sponsors
________________________________________________________________________________ Requirements The mental health and attorney licensing boards in Texas have adopted rules for parenting coordination and parenting facilitation. Please see the following links: Social Work Psychology LPC LMFT The parenting facilitation training is not required for you to serve as a parenting coordinator. A parenting coordinator is required 72 hours of training unless waived by the court as detailed below. According to Sec. 153.610 of the Texas Family Code, the qualifications of a parenting coordinator are: The court shall determine the required qualifications of a parenting coordinator, provided that a parenting coordinator must have experience working in a field relating to families, have practical experience with high-conflict cases or litigation between parents, and: hold at least: (A) a bachelor's degree in counseling, education, family studies, psychology, or social work; or (B) a graduate degree in a mental health profession, with an emphasis in family and children's issues; or (2) be licensed in good standing as an attorney in this state. (b) In addition to the qualifications prescribed by Subsection (a), a parenting coordinator must complete at least: 8 hours of family violence dynamics training provided by a family violence service provider; 40 classroom hours of training in dispute resolution techniques in a course conducted by an alternative dispute resolution system or other dispute resolution organization approved by the court; and 24 classroom hours of training in the fields of family dynamics, child development, family law and the law governing parenting coordination, and parenting coordination styles and procedures. In appropriate circumstances, a court may, with the agreement of the parties, appoint a person as parenting coordinator who does not satisfy the requirements of Subsection (a) or Subsection (b)(2) or (3) if the court finds that the person has sufficient legal or other professional training or experience in dispute resolution processes to serve in that capacity. According to Sec. 153.6101 of the Texas Family Code, to be a parenting facilitator in Texas you are required to have 88 hours of training. A parenting facilitator is required to have received and to be able to document: Having a license to practice in this state as a social worker, licensed professional counselor, licensed marriage and family therapist, psychologist, or attorney; and having completed at least: 16 separate hours of training in the laws governing parenting coordination and parenting facilitation and the multiple styles and procedures used in different models of service (This training) 8 separate hours of family violence dynamics training provided by a family violence service provider; 40 separate classroom hours of training in dispute resolution techniques in a course conducted by an alternative dispute resolution system or other dispute resolution organization approved by the court; and 24 separate classroom hours of training in the fields of family dynamics, child development, and family law. Please be certain prior to beginning work with a family, you are able to document your training. According to Sec. 153.6101 of the Texas Family Code: On request by a party, an attorney for a party, or any attorney for a child who is the subject of the suit, a person under consideration for appointment as a parenting facilitator in the suit shall provide proof that the person satisfies the minimum qualifications required by this section.
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