Having spent the last six years designing and facilitating
programmes that support quality early years play and learning, I
was really thrilled and relieved to experience the PEAL training
for myself. I knew it had the potential to make a real difference
to those who took part in it. Now as an experienced facilitator for
the programme I remain humbled by the dedication of practitioners
across the country. Many of them already know how important working
with parents is and are doing good work to make this happen. They
come on the training because they want to do it better.
Research
I was initially concerned by the
huge dose of research findings but need not have been. More than
half the reader is made up of findings from non-government sources,
respecting the views of experts in the field - including parents
and making it relevant (and therefore palatable). These findings
were almost invariably well received by delegates and many said it
gave them real motivation to continue their efforts!
Becoming part of the PEAL team
My
confidence to deliver the programme was further increased through
feeling valued by the PEAL team. I was paid to learn and to think
how I would deliver this programme whilst getting to know some of
those with whom I would work as co-facilitator. One of the
highlights for me as a trainer was experiencing the support of
colleagues who on the face of it, had to tackle much greater
challenges than I. I witnessed first-hand that the greatest
challenges to those with additional needs often relate to the
perceptions others have, not their own ability to achieve. I will
never forget this.
What next?
I would like to see the PEAL
programme followed up with further training opportunities for all
those working with parents across the umbrella of children and
family services. Communication skills, assertiveness training and
possibly counselling skills. The latter may not be as necessary in
a Children’s Centre as those professionals should be close by, but
many work either in isolation or in the PVI sector, where they are
not supported in this way. The new ‘Common Core’ promises to
provide a tool for this.
In the workplace, I’d like to see supervision for all key
workers to support them emotionally and otherwise in supporting
parents. Equally a member of staff responsible for promoting
parental involvement including monitoring and evaluating the
effectiveness of any initiatives is needed.
At an EYP conference this year, Marion Dowling suggested that
any inexperienced Key Person should have the chance to shadow an
experienced practitioner who works well with parents as a
prerequisite to taking on the full role of confidently engaging
with parents on all levels. I agree that anything less risks
setting practitioners up to fail.
A real measure of the success of PEAL would be to know what
initiatives delegates have put into practice following the training
and whether these turned out as they had expected. If you would
like to share your experience of PEAL training and how you have
used it within your practice, please contact Heather Goodwin.
High lights/what I learned
I have learned
a lot about the potential quality of training days. I feel that my
own development as a facilitator and programme designer have
improved from my PEAL experience. The shape of the day, the quality
of resources, the links to people’s own experience and the gradual
build-up of ideas through highly interactive engagement provide an
excellent exemplar of adult learning.
What has stuck in my mind most deeply is this:
"We have to begin with the firm belief that all parents are
interested in the development and progress of their own
children".
This created debate and stirred up heartfelt concern about the
skills and motivation of a generation of parents in every room that
I worked in for PEAL and we need to admit that this is often a huge
challenge. There is no other option though, because as the PEAL
model states, we need to build relationships based on respect and
valuing parents. This must be the basis on which we plan our
services.