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 Children’s Trust Fund has worked with several other Wisconsin agencies to develop a set of core competencies in the field of family support. This is part of a larger project to advance family support as a profession. Some of the goals of the project are:

• To ensure high-quality service for families across Wisconsin;
   
• To increase the recognition that parent educators, home visitors, and other family support professionals get for their experience, training, and education; and,
• To encourage high standards for quality training in the field of family support.
   

As a step towards meeting these goals, the Children's Trust Fund is proud to introduce the Core Competencies in the Field of Family Support (Core Competencies). Core Competencies describes the skills and knowledge that family support professionals need to do their jobs well.

There are two sets of core competencies: one for direct service staff, and another for managers and supervisors in family support. Please click here to view and download Core Competencies materials.

The development of the core competencies relied heavily on experience and models from other states, especially the “Core Knowledge, Attitudes, and Skills for Parent Educators” developed by the University of North Texas Center on Parent Education. In addition, family support professionals around the state of Wisconsin gave their input to help tailor the core competencies to reflect their professional development needs, concerns, and strengths.The core competencies were developed through a process of research on systems being used in other states, a survey of family support professionals in Wisconsin, and discussion with workers, supervisors, and managers in a variety of programs around the state.

Acknowledgements

The development of the core competencies was funded in part by the Wisconsin Department of Health and Family Services' Early Childhood Comprehensive Systems Grant from the federal Maternal and Child Health Bureau that is part of the Health Resources and Services Administration, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The Child Abuse Prevention Fund of Children's Hospital and Health System supported the printing and distribution of the Professional Development Portfolios.

The Advisory Committee includes:

 Child Abuse Prevention Fund of Children’s Hospital and Health System
Jennifer Hammel

Children’s Service Society of Wisconsin
Sue Weimerskirch

The Wisconsin Children’s Trust Fund
Cailin O’Connor, Teressa Pellett, Norma Sampson, Mary Anne Snyder

Department of Health and Family Services
Susan Harvey
Ann Altman Stueck

Family Resource Centers
Danielle Pollex-Rabl, Columbia County
Tonya Millard, Crawford County
Mary Kurer, Washington County

Prevent Child Abuse Wisconsin
Patti Herman

Parents Plus of Wisconsin
Susan Rodriguez
Sue Werley

UW-Extension Family Living Programs
Ann Keim
Bonnie Geyer

UW-Madison Department of Human Development and Family Studies
Dave Riley
Gay Eastman

Wisconsin Infant Mental Health Initiative
Therese Ahlers