Program Details & Upcoming Sessions
Encouraging Family Foundations helps parents get on the same page and find the space to work on their relationship....for baby's sake. Dads and Moms get the tools to navigate everyday life while connecting with other new or soon-to-be parents.
Parents learn about and share experiences on a variety of topics beginning with a foundation of healthy relationship skills and expanding to a variety of other skills and areas of interest throughout their sessions.
How does the program work?
- You learn about EFF and the benefits for you and your family
- Check out with other parents have to say about their EFF experience, Dad's & Mom's on EFF...
- Sign-up online page or call 454-4673 (SECOM en espaņol 452-7684)
- if you sign up online, you will receive a call shortly after to answer questions and get you registered for your Cooperative Parenting Plan session and program series
- EFF participation
- Parents participate in a one hour Cooperative Parenting Plan
- Attend your EFF series
- Sign up for a 3 week group of your choice (see options below)
- We want to hear about your experience with EFF
- Tell your family and friends about Encouraging Family Foundations
- Talk to your site facilitator about the impact the program has made with you and your family
- Email the Program Manager what you liked and any suggestions, or call 454-4673
Discover Your Plan...For Baby's Sake
Cooperative Parenting Plan Session
Cooperative Parenting Plan Session will be the couples' first step in participation in Encouraging Family Foundations. This one-hour Cooperative Parenting Plan session will provide a foundation of cooperative parenting and family goal setting for participation in the Encouraging Family Foundations program, and to encourage parents to directly apply what they are about to learn in the classes to their personal lives through the lens of their parenting plan. Partners are welcomed to the Dispute Resolution Center by a Parent Coach who begins with an overview of the EFF program, explaining the identified goals of the session and engaging the parents in a motivating planning session.
What do parents do?
- Goal Ladder: the Parent Coach walks parents through the sheet and they have a conversation where parents identify and write down ten specific goals for their child. Parents are asked to think about what they would like to be able to say about their child when he/she turns 18.
- Cooperative Parenting - Values and Goals: Each parent identifies their personal values and goals. They talk about areas that are child and relationship skills focused. The Parent Coach facilitates a conversation with them about their responses and works with the parents to develop goals based on that conversation.
- Family Plan: Parents are asked what they want their child to say about them when he/she becomes 18. Using the tools and conversation, parents work together to create a parenting statement, which is similar to a mission statement or what they want for their baby and their family. Next, parents set 4 goals they want to work on in their EFF series.
The Parent Coach will wrap-up and is there to answer any questions about the upcoming series or offer other referrals. The Parent Coach will also talk to parents about Mediation Services if needed, and let parents know about the free opportunity to continue the parenting planning process through mediation at the Dispute Resolution Center.
EFF Series
The series is the core of the Encouraging Family Foundations Program, and builds on the cooperative parenting foundation that was set during the Cooperative Parenting Plan session. The program's emphasis is on healthy relationships and life skills and is a 12 hour series FREE to unmarried partners with a baby on the way or with a baby age 3 months or under.
During the series, participants will continue to build on plan they discovered during the one-hour Cooperative Parenting Plan session. Parents are offered the opportunity to learn about and practice skills necessary to providing their child with a strong, healthy foundation.
*Limited spaces are available for unmarried parents attending without a parenting partner or those who have children up to the age of 2.5 years. See below for * series options.
REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED & can be done by:
- Call 454-4673 (SECOM en espaņol 452-7684)
- Sign-up online
- call and ask one of the site's below
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| No classes scheduled at this time. Please check back soon. |
Three-Week Group
The 3 week groups offer parents the opportunity to keep connecting with other parents and learn even more about the topics they are interested in. The groups are open to parents who have completed the EFF Series, and they cover a variety of topic during the 12-hour group.
Participants (after completing the EFF series) can attend 1 or more groups as space allows.
Upcoming Dates and Topics coming soon. Call 454-4673 (SECOM en espaņol 452-7684) for more information.
Strengthening Steps Review
An opportunity for EFF parents who complete both a series & a group to come together three months after their completion to reconnect with their site facilitators and other parents, review the program information, and to be encouraged in their new skills. Parents will receive a postcard with information when dates are available.
