national council on family relations family life education national council on family relations

National Council on Family Relations

Family Life Education



Once upon a time…

There was a village built upon the edge of a river where the water churned roughly over the rocks.


There were signs at the river’s edge warning of the danger, but people often ignored the signs & fell into the river.

They either drowned or flowed downstream to a waterfall & were never seen again.


The villagers came up with a plan.

• A net was put downstream to catch those who had fallen in the river.

• A full-time crew was hired to watch for

villagers floating downstream, pull

them from the river, dry them off, &

get them to ambulances.


• A new hospital was built closer to the

river’s edge.

All these efforts increased the survival rate of the people who fell into the river, but many were still injured or drowned.


A couple who moved to the village watched what was happening & asked if something more could be done to save them.

(Collaboration)

The villagers explained that they had developed a good system, & while they weren’t able to save everyone, things had improved.


The couple decided to take matters into their own hands by…

● Helping to build a large fence along the rough part of the river(Prevention)

• Offering swimming lessons(Education)


• Speaking to villagers about the dangers of going into the river without a

life jacket (Prevention & Education)

• Conducting classes to teach people how to maneuver their boats around the rocks (Prevention & Education)


Soon…

• Fewer & fewer people were falling into the river & those who did were better able to help themselves out.

• FAMILY LIFE EDUCATION is about teaching the skills & knowledge needed to avoid falling into the river & about knowing how to help yourself if you do.


What is Family Life Education (FLE)?


Family Life Education

Provides opportunities for individuals and families to enhance and improve their lives by providing the knowledge and skills needed for effective family living.


Levels of Family Life Education

Level 1

Minimal face-to-

face contact

Level 2

Information and Advice

Level 3

Feelings and Support

Level 4

Brief Focused Intervention

Level 5

Family Therapy

Adapted from:

Doherty, W.J. (1995). Boundaries between parent and family education and family therapy: The levels of family involvement model. Family Relations, 44 (4) 353-358.


Family Life Education is…

• Prevention

• Education

• Collaboration


Operational Principles of FLE


Prevention

• FLE is relevant to individuals and families throughout the life span because it focuses on prevention


Education

• FLE takes an educational rather than therapeutic approach


Collaboration

• FLE is based on the needs of individuals and their families through professionals and family members collaborating together

– FLE is a multi-disciplinary area of study and is multi-professional in its practice

– FLE programs are offered in many different settings

– FLE presents and respects differing family values


FLE Areas of Focus


Individuals and Families in Societal Contexts

Understanding families and their relationships to other institutions


Internal Dynamics of Families

Understanding family strengths and weaknesses and how family members relate to each other


Human Growth & Development Over the Life Span

Understanding the developmental changes of individuals in families throughout the life span


Human Sexuality

Understanding the physiological, psychological, & social aspects of sexual development throughout the lifespan


Interpersonal Relationships

Understanding of the development and maintenance of interpersonal relationships


Family Resource Management

Understanding the decisions individuals and families make about developing and allocating resources, including…~ time

~ money and material assets

~ friends and neighbors

~ space


Parent Education

Understanding of how parents teach, guide, and influence children and adolescents


Family Law & Public Policy

Understanding of the legal definition of the family and laws which affect the status of the family


Professional Ethics & Practice

Understanding the character and quality of human social conduct and the ability to critically examine ethical questions and issues ?


FLE MethodologyUnderstanding the general

philosophy and broad principles of family life education in conjunction with the ability to:~plan

~implement

~evaluate

educational programs


Where do Family Life Educators Work?


Human Services

Parenting Education


Faith Based Settings

Caregiver & Long Term Care

Programs


Premarital & Marriage Education


Schools & Educational Settings

Family Law Settings


Developing

Curriculum

Adoption Agencies


Grant-WritingNon-profit Administration


Public Policy Settings

Medical Settings


Emergency Preparedness


Why Hire a Certified Family Life Educator?


Why Hire a Certified Family Life Educator?

Training ~ Minimum Bachelors

degree

~ Continuing education

~ Certification process

Cost Effective~Prevention focus

~Multi-modality approaches


Ultimate Human Services Generalist

Equipped to provide a variety of family science services to ever-changing family needs


Certified Family Life Educators

Teaching Families

Changing Lives


CFLE Advisory Board*PowerPoint subcommittee

Kevin AllemagneMaryville Academy

Sharon BallardEast Carolina University

Jerica Berge*University of Minnesota

Jeannie Buckner*The Family Expert

Deborah CashenParenting Partnerships, Inc.

Marty Covey*Spring Arbor University

Carol Darling*Florida State University

Susan EitelTX Woman’s University

Wm. Michael Fleming*University of Northern Iowa

Kathy StebleaChildren’s Services Council



• For more information on family life education and the Certified Family Life Educator designation, contact the NCFR office.

• NCFR - 3989 Central Avenue NE, #550 Minneapolis MN 55421

• 888-781-9331

• www.ncfr.org

national council on family relations family life education national council on family relations

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