University of Connecticut Center for the Study of Culture, Health, and Human Development 348 Mansfield Road, Storrs, CT

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1 University of Connecticut Center for the Study of Culture, Health, and Human Development 348 Mansfield Road, Storrs, CT FAMILY DEVELOPMENT CREDENTIAL (FDC) PROGRAM POLICIES AND PROCEDURES for State Programs with Credentials from the University of Connecticut The Family Development Training and Credentialing Program (FDC) provides frontline workers with the skills and competencies they need to empower families to attain a healthy self-reliance and interdependence with their communities. The FDC offers quality, sequential training enabling workers to develop these skills and competencies, and, at successful conclusion of the training, a credential recognized by all major family-serving agencies. FDC training and portfolio advisement leading to the recognized Family Development Credential are available only through training programs affiliated with the National Family Development Credential Program based at University of Connecticut, and carried out locally throughout various states. Instructors for these programs attend an official FDC Instructor Institute that prepares them to offer this program. The policies and procedures used statewide relate to: A. Selection of applicants for FDC Instructors and Portfolio Advisors Institute B. Commitment from applicants for official training C. Commitment from Official FDC Instructors D. Active membership in the FDC Instructors' Network E. Procedures for FDC candidate assessment including portfolio review F. Selection and Role of Portfolio Advisors G. Commitment from portfolio advisors H. Administering the FDC exam I. Credentialing J. College credit A. Selection of applicants for FDC Training Institute Selection of applicants for the FDC Instructor's and Portfolio Advisor's Training Institute is based on the following criteria: 1. A minimum of a Bachelor s degree in a human service or related field. If such a person is not available, a person who has completed FDC training may teach in a local FDC program under the direct supervision of an FDC instructor or advisor with a Master s degree (or higher) in a human service or related field. Portfolio advisors without Bachelor s degree are required to obtain the secondary signature of an FDC instructor or advisor with a Bachelor s degree or beyond. Instructors and advisors without a Bachelor s degree will be encouraged to pursue a college degree. 2. A clear plan for and commitment to offering a full FDC training and credentialing program. 3. Proposed activity in a defined geographic area (e.g. County, City) where there is no FDC program currently, or where additional need has been demonstrated Claire Forest 1

2 4. Evidence of collaboration with other agencies to plan and/or implement an FDC training program, particularly with any current FDC instructors in the area. Interagency sponsorship, cosponsorship, and co-facilitation of FDC training is strongly encouraged. 5. A plan to offer training to an interagency group of workers. In-house staff training programs are asked to make at least 1/4 of spaces available for workers from other agencies/systems. 6. An understanding of and commitment to the strengths-based, family development/-empowerment model. 7. Evidence of training and/or adult education skills and experience regarding the ability to facilitate group process. B. Commitment from applicants for official training Applicants accepted to the Institute are asked to make both an individual commitment and have a commitment from their organization that they will: 1. Attend each day of the FDC Instructor's and Portfolio Advisor's Training Institute. 2. Pay the Institute registration fee. 3. Read the entire Worker Handbook and review the Instructor's Manual and Portfolio Advisor's Manual before the Institute begins. 4. Begin an FDC training and credentialing program within one year. 5. Operate solely within the county/counties described in their application, unless otherwise authorized by the National Family Development Credential Program at U Conn. C. Membership in the FDC Instructors' Network: Commitment from official FDC Instructors and sponsoring organizations Only instructors who are active members of the FDC Instructors Network based at the National FDC Program at the University of Connecticut can lead FDC classes to prepare workers to earn the FDC credential. To become a member of the FDC Instructors Network, graduates of the Institute should write a letter of commitment on agency letterhead, co-signed by a supervisor of the organization sponsoring FDC training, to Dr. Claire Forest, Director, National Family Development Credential Program, University of Connecticut, Unit 2058, 348 Mansfield Rd, Storrs, CT ) confirming the commitments listed below. The National FDC Office at the University of Connecticut must receive the commitment letter before accepting a Notice to Start form from the applicant instructor, a request for examinations, or portfolios for review. When the letter of commitment is received, instructors are issued a letter of membership in the FDC Instructors Network. In this letter the instructor and supervisor specifically commit that they will: 1. Notify the National Program Manager at the University of Connecticut as soon as they have a firm date for beginning a training program. 2. Send Notice to Start Training form and a $200 FDC Program Support Fee within 30 days of the beginning of an FDC class. 3. [Supervisors:] Commit to using the Instructor s organization as a clearing house for the individual checks submitted by the workers for the credential. Once the individual checks are received, the organization will write one check to the National FDC Program for the total amount of the credentialing fees and submit it with the Portfolio Review and Exam Request form and a list of candidates contact information, mailing addresses, phone numbers, birthdates and gender. All checks should be made payable to Connecticut Children s Medical Center Family Development Credential Program. 4. Offer a minimum of one training session per month for active training programs. 5. At first class, announce clear policies regarding attendance requirements, and submission 2013 Claire Forest 2

3 deadlines for portfolio work. 6. Offer all ten chapters of FDC; at least 90 hours of training, plus portfolio advisement. 7. Present themselves as a model in behavior and skills critical to the family development process. 8. Distribute FDC feedback forms to program participants after Chapter 10. (One participant may coordinate this and to send the group's feedback forms directly to the program Manager at the University of Connecticut. 9. Send completed portfolios to the National FDC Portfolio Reviewer, as directed by the program Manager at the University of Connecticut. Portfolios should be sent at least two weeks prior to that class exam date. 10. Administer the standardized FDC exam to those applying for the credential, according to FDC protocol. 11. Participate in the FDC Instructor's Network by sharing experiences with other instructors, and keeping in touch with your State Coordinator and the National FDC Program at the University of Connecticut. 12. Attend an FDC Instructors Update meeting at least every two years. 13. Work cooperatively with nearby FDC instructors, coordinating FDC schedules and marketing so the need for FDC training is met, and the program is well respected in your community. 14. Consider forming a local FDC interagency advisory group (either freestanding or as part of an existing coalition) representing organizations that work with families across the life-span. Invite the Community Action Agency and Cooperative Extension program in your area to participate in the advisory group. If an FDC advisory group already exists, instructors will commit to working with that group. 15. Actively consider opening 25% of spaces in any training program to workers outside the instructor's organization. D. Staying Active in FDC Instructors' and Portfolio Advisors Network To stay active, instructors and portfolio advisors must: 1. Keep the commitments listed above. 2. Within one year of attending the Instructors' Institute, offer a full training program or provide portfolio advisement. 3. Participate in an FDC Instructor s Update meeting at least every two years. If this has not occurred, the instructor will be considered inactive and no longer receive Instructors' mailings from FDC or access to FDC Instructor Resources website, nor will FDC accept portfolios from their classes. The FDC program will notify FDC instructors and advisors in writing of their inactive status and required steps for reinstatement. To be reinstated as active, an inactive instructor shall: 1. Write a letter to National FDC Program Director Dr. Claire Forest requesting active status, agreeing to attend the next FDC Instructor s Update Meeting or the next update meeting scheduled closest to the instructor s or advisor s area. 2. Receive technical assistance from the National FDC Program Manager about the date and location of the next FDC Update meetings, participate in a telephone update with the FDC Director Dr. Claire Forest or her designee, and review a copy of the FDC Instructor s and Portfolio Advisor s Update, as well as PowerPoint presentations concerning updates and developments. 3. Register (or confirm enrollment) on the FDC Web Site Instructor Resource section Advisor s website and visit the site to view program information and resources. 4. Contact active instructors in their communities to coordinate planning for their training program and/or to discuss opportunities for providing portfolio advisement Claire Forest 3

4 E. Procedures for FDC candidate assessment including portfolio review (Please review complete instructions in FDC Candidate Assessment Procedures sheet) Workers in FDC training programs may choose to work toward earning an FDC credential as they complete the training portion of the program. To be eligible for the FDC credential issued by the University of Connecticut, individuals must complete a portfolio demonstrating the application of the skills that they have acquired in training. They work with a portfolio advisor who reviews their portfolio materials and provides guidance and feedback during the process. When an FDC class has completed the training sessions and portfolios, they take an examination to assess their knowledge. 1. Portfolios must include, for each of the ten chapters, responses to at least three Activities to Extend Your Learning and one Skills Practice. 2. Portfolios must include three Family Development Plans created with one family, and a one page statement called Reflections on One Family's Progress Documented through the Family Development Plan. 3. Worker, portfolio advisor, and instructor must complete Application to Receive the FDC Credential (Affirmations Form), and Statement of Confidentiality. 4. Instructor (s) will assure, with the worker's portfolio advisor, that each portfolio is complete and that the portfolio advisor has signed all needed forms. 5. Instructor(s) collect the non-refundable $250 credentialing fee from each worker who wants to receive a credential, then forward a new check for the total amount for the class to the National Program Manager at the University of Connecticut (one check made payable to Connecticut Children s Medical Center Family Development Credential Program), along with the Portfolio Review and Exam Request form. 6. Each portfolio should be placed in a 10" x 13" manila envelope, labeled with the worker's name and mailing address. Put all portfolios in a box and mail or deliver to the FDC Portfolio Reviewer. Please DO NOT seal the workers portfolio envelopes. 7. Include with the portfolios a numbered, alphabetized list of those who will be taking the exam, including full names, mailing addresses, dates of birth, genders, phone numbers, and date of exam. 8. Portfolios will be mailed to the (lead) instructor following review and approval for return to workers. F. Selection and Role of Portfolio Advisors Official FDC Instructors select and orient portfolio advisors for their own programs. These individuals may also be co-instructors for the training program. Prospective and experienced portfolio advisors are strongly encouraged, but not required to attend an FDC Instructors Institute. Portfolio advisors may receive local orientation in order to begin offering portfolio advisement. Active portfolio advisors must attend an FDC Portfolio Advisor's Update Meeting at least every two years. Update meetings are held regularly in locations across the state. The Portfolio Advisor is key to the mentoring process for workers. Portfolio Advisors assist the workers in gaining and using family development skills and establishing a portfolio. The portfolio stands as a record that assesses and demonstrates the worker's accomplishments toward skills for family development. Portfolio Advisors provide assistance by: 1. Presenting themselves to workers as models in behavior and skills critical to the family development process 2. Offering feedback to workers in response to Activities to Extend Your Learning Claire Forest 4

5 3. Reviewing and approving the Skills Practice Plan. 4. Providing written feedback on the actual Skills Practice. 5. Assisting workers as needed with three Family Development Plans and their statement titled Reflections on One Family's Progress through the Family Development Plan. G. Commitment from portfolio advisors 1. All portfolio advisors must read Empowerment Skills for Family Workers and Portfolio Advisors Manual. 2. Portfolio advisors must attend a sufficient number of training sessions to understand the workers' experience there. What will be considered a sufficient number of training sessions is to be determined by local instructors in consultation with portfolio advisors. 3. Agency supervisors may not be portfolio advisors for workers they directly supervise. 4. Portfolio advisors may not be portfolio advisors for one another. 5. It is preferable that persons chosen to be portfolio advisors have already earned the FDC Credential. This may be required by local training programs. 6. It is recommended that portfolio advisors attend Portfolio Advisors Workshops at least once every two years. It can be a local policy that instructors require portfolio advisors to attend these workshops. H. Administering the FDC exam Follow Instructions to FDC Instructors for Administering the FDC Exam, below: 1. Instructors may use the ten-question practice exam to give to the workers in the class. The exam is included in introductory chapter of the updated Instructor's Manual. Determine two proctors who will oversee the administration of the exam. These can be instructor(s) and/or someone else who is willing to take the responsibility. 2. Notify the workers of the following: a. Date, time, and place of exam, and b. Bring two #2 pencils to exam. c. If workers are not known to proctors, they must bring photo identification to the exam. d. Workers will be allowed up to 2 1/2 hours for the exam. This includes 30 minutes for registration, instructions and completing basic information on the answer sheet. e. Workers must to leave their Handbook, notes and other reference materials at home. 3. Before the exam, Instructors should count the exam packets sent from the University of Connecticut to determine that there are exams for each worker plus two spares. Spares are sent in case there is a missing page or other problem with an exam. 4. Instructors must not open or copy any of the exam packets. 5. Instructors are asked not to read the exam. 6. Instructors and/or Proctors shall review Instructions for Answer Sheet if a separate answer sheet is used. 7. Instructors will store the exam materials in a locked cabinet. 8. After workers take the exam, instructors shall make copies of completed exam scoring sheets and hold them in a secure location until it is confirmed that the exams have reached the University of Connecticut and have been scored. 9. Instructors will send sealed test packets, with questions and scoring sheet back to the National Program Manager at the University of Connecticut via Federal Express, UPS or Airborne delivery. U.S. Mail delivery does not ensure adequately secure handling of these documents when they arrive. Please use the carriers listed Claire Forest 5

6 I. Credentialing The Family Development Credential Program at the University of Connecticut is responsible for documenting that the worker has qualified for the credential, for issuing the credential, and for maintaining permanent records of who has earned the credential. The National FDC Program Manager will: 1. Send exams to instructor(s) once their group's portfolios and the check for credentialing fees has been received accompanied by the Portfolio Review and Exam Request form and participant list. 2. Score the exams. 3. Inform instructors whether workers passed the exam (a score of 70 or higher) and satisfactorily completed the portfolios. 4. Confirm the correct spelling of workers' names for credential. 5. Inform any workers who did not pass the exam or have a satisfactory portfolio. This letter (to be copied to the instructor), will provide instructions as to what to do to take the exam again or revise and resubmit the portfolio. 6. Arrange for the Family Development Credential Program at the University of Connecticut to award the credentials, sending them either to instructors or workers according to instructions from the instructors. 7. Maintain a registry of workers who have received the FDC credential. 8. Inform workers who do not pass the exam, but have successfully completed portfolios, that they may re-take the exam one time, within a year, at a site where another training program is completing their work. 9. Inform workers whose portfolios are not satisfactory, but have passed the exam, that they will be offered an opportunity to work with their portfolio advisor, or another portfolio advisor, to refine their portfolio within one year. 10. Encourage workers who neither pass the exam nor complete a satisfactory portfolio to retake some, or all, of the FDC training program within one year, and complete a new portfolio, before going through the assessment process again. 11. Inform workers that if the specified steps are taken within one year, no additional assessment fee will be charged. 12. Inform workers that they may postpone submitting the portfolio and taking the exam for up to one year after the completion of a training class, with prior approval and agreement for portfolio advisement and exam proctoring from local instructors/portfolio advisors. J. College credit An important benefit of FDC credentialing is the opportunity to earn college credit. There are four (4) ways to do this. 1. Charter Oak State College offers a credit evaluation and record keeping service for people who wish to accumulate credits on a transcript for the purpose of professional certification. Individuals who do not wish to seek a degree from Charter Oak State College but nevertheless need to maintain official records of their continuing professional education may avail themselves of one of the Charter Oak State College registries. Credit registry is provided for individuals who have completed a non-collegiate program that has been evaluated for credit by the Connecticut Credit Assessment Program (CCAP), such as the National Family Development Credential Program. CCAP has reviewed the National FDC Program and has recommended up to 7 lower-level undergraduate credits for those who have earned the FDC credential. For more information about Charter Oak State College, please visit (Available for FDC participants who complete the FDC Empowerment Skills for Workers course between January January 2016) Claire Forest 6

7 2. National College Credit Recommendation Service (National CCRS) is a program designed to serve as a link between programs of study at degree-granting institutions and the educational efforts sponsored by business, government, professional associations, and other non-college organizations. National CCRS has reviewed the FDC program and has recommended up to 7 lower-level undergraduate credits for those who have earned the FDC credential. The FDC program is included in College Credit Recommendation, a directory used by colleges and universities nationwide. Note, in this directory, FDC is listed as a NYS Department of State program. To learn more about National CCRS and cooperating colleges and universities, please visit 3. Empire State College (ESC) provides an opportunity for non-traditional students to work with a mentor toward a college degree. Students may receive college credits for college level learning obtained through work and life experience, traditional college course work, and independent study. ESC has determined that workers who have successfully completed Family Development Training and Credentialing (FDC) training, portfolio advisement, portfolio development, and the standardized examination, are eligible to receive up to seven college credits. ESC has seven regions with more than 40 locations serving all of New York State. For more information, contact the closest regional site or contact SUNY Empire State College, One Union Avenue, Saratoga Springs, NY ; telephone number (518) For official student verification of FDC credentialing, workers may write to National FDC Program Manager, University of Connecticut, Unit 2058, 348 Mansfield Rd, Storrs, CT to request that a verification letter be sent to Empire State College Admissions Office, 111 West Avenue., Saratoga Springs, NY (Available for FDC participants who complete the FDC course prior to January 2003.) 4. Individual colleges have made decisions about the number of credit hours to award when they teach FDC classes. For example, Corning Community College offers FDC training in two semesters and awards 12 credit hours. In other cases, colleges have awarded continuing education hours, which can be transferred into college credit if a worker enrolls in a degree program. Documents referenced (available from FDC program): 1. Notice to Start FDC Training Program 2. FDC Candidate Assessment Procedures 3. Request for Portfolio Review and Exam 4. Charter Oak Credit Registry Packet Confidentiality Notice This message, including any attachments, is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential or proprietary information which is legally privileged. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure, or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please promptly contact the sender by reply and destroy all copies of the original message Claire Forest 7