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The National Parenting Education Network (NPEN) Professional Preparation and Recognition Committee (PPRC) has recently completed development of the document Parenting Educator Competencies: A Resource Document for the Field of Parenting Education. It is available on the NPEN website: https://tinyurl.com/npencompetencies. The document describes the competencies related to effective parenting education practice. Parenting educators must possess basic knowledge and skills to effectively practice, regardless of their mode of service delivery (e.g., written materials, electronic/technological means, group programs, home visits, or individual consultations).

NPEN’s purpose in creating this document is to describe the knowledge, practice skills, and attitudes and dispositions that are foundational to effective practice for parenting educators with the goal of improving parent and child outcomes. It is not expected that parenting educators will have in-depth knowledge and mastered all the skills related to the competencies listed in the document. Competencies they acquire and hone over time are likely to be tailored to their role as a parenting educator and the audiences they serve.

The PPRC of NPEN is currently promoting dissemination and use of the competencies contained in this document with parenting and Family Life Educators throughout the country functioning in a wide variety of parenting educator roles and practicing through varying modes of service delivery. The document suggests an extensive range of potential users of the document—from individual parenting educators to program administrators to providers of preservice and professional development services to higher education institutions to state and national systems or organizations that set standards for parenting education. We expect that a wider range of users and uses beyond those included in the document will evolve through its use. We strongly encourage CFLEs to carefully review this document, use it, and share it with colleagues in Family Life Education and related fields. We will appreciate feedback from you as you review and use this resource in your work with families. [email protected]

Betty Cooke, Ph.D., CFLE, is a retired member of the family education faculty at the University of Minnesota. At the Minnesota Department of Education, she provided leadership for Early Childhood Family Education, the public-school parent education program for all families with children ages 0-4, and other early learning initiatives.