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As NCFR’s Director of Family Life Education, I think a lot about the needs of Family Science practitioners, most notably, about those of Certified Family Life Educators. The CFLE program was designed to establish and promote standards of practice and bring awareness to the field of Family Life Education.

A significant number of CFLEs work in college or university settings (31% of CFLEs who completed the CFLE job analysis survey in 2014) but in most cases their focus is on providing education to those who will go on to practice Family Life Education in the field, working directly with or for families. The CFLE credential is valued and recognized in academia, but it may be more necessary as an indicator of expertise in practice settings, where the qualifications of family professionals are more diverse.

The knowledge, skills, and abilities identified and influenced through Family Science research and theory represent the foundation of the CFLE credential. An equally important component is the translation of this research-based information to the day-to-day practice of Family Life Educators (see the Family Relations: Interdisciplinary Journal of Applied Family Science special issue “Translational Family Science”). NCFR is largely an academic organization, and this has had an impact on the programs, services, and products we provide. NCFR does a good job of meeting the needs of CFLEs working in academic settings, but we could do more to meet the needs of practitioner CFLEs, and of all practitioner members, for that matter.

The success of the NCFR webinar series Starting and Running Your Own Family Life Education Business, and the rich array of conversations that have occurred on the CFLE listserv (and now on the discussion group) confirm that CFLEs are hungry for information that will help them in their practice. One of the reasons certification programs exist is to provide a forum for professionals to share information and influence best practices. Collectively, CFLEs have a wealth of knowledge and experience that they are quick to share. I want to do more to enable practitioner CFLEs, and other practitioner members of NCFR, to connect with and learn from one another.

NCFR has the infrastructure in place to do this. We can offer webinars addressing Family Life Education program development and implementation and share information on research that influences practice. The new discussion forums available to CFLEs and NCFR members allow for a more robust and interactive way to share ideas and resources. The CFLE Network newsletter and the Family Focus section of the NCFR Report, can include articles that highlight specific initiatives, programs, curricula, events, and so on that are relevant to the practice of Family Life Education.

However, to make the best use of these tools, we need the input and involvement of NCFR members. I encourage you to contact me to share your ideas for how we can better meet the needs of practitioners. What concerns do you have? What topics would you like to learn more about? Are you interested in presenting a webinar or writing an article sharing information about a successful program or experience you have had as a Family Life Education practitioner? NCFR is your organization. Let’s work together to help you be the best family life practitioner you can be!