Objectives
One of the challenges in the Child protection system in Spain is to assist the reunification processes. The socioeducational programs to improve parenting are part of this assistance, especially those which are based on group intervention (Amorós et al., 2009). This paper aims to provide a summary of the training model for professionals to implement the “Walking as a family” program and forms part of the program evaluation design (EDU2014-52921-C2-2-R).
Method
We gathered information using a mix methods combination: quantitative (questionnaire) and qualitative (discussion groups). Both methods were applied at different times in the implementation process, as they were designed as pretest-post-test, to identify and explain the changes in skills and professional practices.
The professional’s role in this study is not just as a leader of the training groups but also as a researcher. The training has two phases: the first before carrying out the program focused on the “learning by doing” approach, and lasted 20 hours, over the course of two and a half training days; and the second throughout the implementation process focus in assessments using online learning platforms.
The training is aimed at the professionals of specialized services of the child protection system who will implement the program in 5 autonomous communities of Spain and one region of Portugal and who will directly take part in the research during 2016-17.
Results
The training model outlined here will be combined with the implementation process of the program and develops the professionals’ understanding of a series of competencies associated with the theoretical contents on which the program is based (positive parenting, participation of families, the children’s voice and resilience), on their grasp of didactic strategies for dealing with group dynamics and the development of the program and on competences to co-perate as resercher. This, in turn, has an impact on the attitudes of the professionals.
The training model for the professionals takes five basic factors into account, these all depend on the complexity of the program, the conditions in which it is implemented and how it is evaluated: 1) subjects: it is aimed equally at children and parents, as well as the family as a group; 2) phases: it is developed during different phases of the process, during separation as well as reunification; 3) co-odination amongst different specialists: child specialists, residential centres, foster care teams, family educators in the home; 4) types of sessions: group sessions with mothers, with fathers, with boys and with girls, individual sessions with children and family group sessions; 5) program evaluation, how the professional and institutional processes of change are being handled: participative and transformative evaluation tools and group methodology represent a change in the approach to work with families.
Conclusions
Propose methodologies for professional training helps to improve professional standards and competence (Cojocaru, Cojocaru and Ciuchi, 2011). The training developed in this study aims: to offer professionals the content and basic strategies to implement the program “Walking as a family”; and to allow them integrate the dynamics of the program evaluation and the knowledge from research into their work. Previous studies suggest that cooperative-action research may have had a positive result in motivating change by promoting competences through basic training (Balsells, Fuentes-Peláez, Mateo, Torralba, Violant, 2016 in press).
The design of the implementation of the program affect the results obtained when that program is applied (Odgen, 2009). We expect to be able to establish how the results are affected. The results of the evaluation of the implementation processes will allow us to establish the key points for developing a professional training model which will support the reunification processes.
