Trainings for Allied Professionals
Child Find’s trainings for allied professionals increase understanding of missing children’s crises and raise awareness on preventing and resolving child abduction. Through education, our ability to deliver our core mission to prevent and resolve child abduction is strengthened. With nearly 40 years of service in the field of child safety, crisis management, and safety planning, our trainings are invaluable to professionals and agencies dealing with these issues.
In addition to the 3-hour workshops and the one-day intensive detailed below, Child Find can tailor trainings to your specific goals—from half-day sessions to a combination selected from the trainings below, or even a series of in-depth workshops curated for your staff. Costs start at $600 per 3 hour session for up to 30 attendees. Additional expenses for travel and lodging may apply.
To explore longer trainings, more attendees, or custom-designed trainings, please contact Donna Linder, Child Find’s Executive Director, at (845) 883-6060 or [email protected].
3-Hour Workshops
The Impact of Conflict on Children
Many parents are unaware of the impact of their conflict on their children, but research tells us that from a very early age, children who live in high conflict homes suffer. This workshop will explore the difference between healthy and unhealthy conflict, how children are impacted by chronic exposure, and ways in which safe conflict can be addressed productively. Participants will also learn about Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) as well as the red flags that indicate the need to employ safety measures.
Understanding Family Dynamics: Identifying Needs, Locating Resources
This workshop will guide participants through an exploration of how we can better assess the dynamics of a family through respectful conversational interviews and follow-up of “probing points” regarding safety concerns. Participants will learn valuable resources and engage in a discussion of protocols regarding confidentiality and safety, as well as options that be considered when addressing the many – often complex – needs of a family.
Speaking to Parents Respectfully and Effectively
Gaining understanding of high-risk parenting methods may not necessarily translate into conversations that that see positive changes in a family. This workshop will invite participants to brainstorm respectful and effective ways to lead difficult discussions without alienating parents from seeking professional services and support. Participants will learn how and when to approach a parent so that trust continues and future engagement isn’t jeopardized.
Corporal Punishment and Other High-Risk Parenting Choices
A growing body of evidence shows that spanking and other forms of corporal punishment—including verbal and emotional abuse —impedes a child’s positive development. This workshop will explore all forms of corporal punishment and other high-risk parenting choices, including a look at the science and emotions connected to this very difficult subject.
Understanding the Skills & Benefits of Positive Parenting
Parenting styles has a great impact on how or if children thrive. This workshop explores “Positive Parenting” as an effective replacement of high-risk methods of parenting (such as spanking, which mounting evidence has shown to be ineffective). As professionals on the front lines, it is important to add to your arsenal the most current research about high-risk parenting styles, along with exploring the skill sets needed to utilize Positive Parenting techniques.
Good Conflict, Bad Conflict
Conflict in our most important relationships is an unavoidable phenomenon. The differences in our conflict styles, beliefs, and behavioral patterns can mean the difference between productive, healthy outcomes versus chronic, unhealthy outcomes. Participants will explore their reactions to life’s conflicts through interactive activities. Lively discussions in this module are tailored to explore and identify tools that help to create a healthy framework for facing conflict in the family, workplace, and community.
In the Rearview Mirror: At Risk Youth
Focusing on at-risk youth in situations with high-risk family dynamics can strengthen prevention efforts. Distressing outcomes for runaway and thrownaway youth are well documented, more so now as understanding of the risks associated with child sex trafficking increases. Understanding the predictive value of those high-risk family dynamics—including corporal punishment—is vital to the success of efforts to decrease the numbers of youth who ultimately leave the home.
Keeping Kids Safe: Identify Risks, Locating Resources
This workshop is designed for education professionals (including teachers, counselors, and school safety officers) who are seeking to implement missing child policies. Participants will learn about the various categories of missing children and explore resources and ideas on how to prevent and respond to missing child risks.
Sharpening Strategies for Effective Fatherhood Services
This interactive workshop will explore methods of effective fatherhood program services. A thoughtful case study will guide participant discussion through engagement and interviewing strategies, comprehensive story gathering, safety risk screening, clarifying goals, and conflict skill-building. We will explore the legal terms associated with classifications for fathers, with an emphasis on non-residential and putative (possible) dads. Appropriate referrals to support services, as well as basic safety assessments, are covered.
From Denied Access to Parental Abductions
This presentation will explore a missing child professional’s view on the overarching issue of parental abductions. Evaluation, prevention, and resolution of a parental abduction are distinct stages a professional may find him/herself engaging with, so it’s helpful to understand all three. This workshop is designed to strengthen participants’ responsiveness and ability to provide a more comprehensive and long-term resolution to parental abduction.
Understanding Mediation
This workshop will give participants an understanding of the tenets of mediation in its various forms. Through mediation training activities and role play opportunities, this workshop is designed to enhance skills for those wishing to more effectively intervene in other people’s conflicts.
Creative and Appropriate Parenting Apart (Custody/Visitation) Plans
Parents who share the love and care for a child while living apart face a specific set of challenges. A variety of dynamics—from distance parenting to kinship caretakers and other scenarios—may present difficulties that require thoughtful planning. This workshop explores these dynamics and any safety risks that must be considered when creating an appropriate, viable parenting apart plan.
Intimate Partner Violence (IPV or DV): Promoting Safety
This workshop explores basic dynamics of domestic violence from the perspectives of the adult survivor and the child(ren) involved. Participants explore forms of intimate partner violence, risk factors, and the psychological impact it can have on parents/children. In addition, participants will learn of effective ways to engage a survivor of IPV and connect her with safe and confidential resources.
One Day Intensives
Difficult Conversations with Parents
This full day training introduces Child Find’s In Safe Hands toolkit for early childhood educators, and incorporates materials from 3 workshops described above:
- Corporal Punishment and Other High Risk Parenting Choices
- The Impact of Family Conflict on Children
- Speaking to Parents Respectfully and Effectively.
The purpose of the toolkit is to educate and inform parents and professionals about the negative impact of family conflict on a child’s learning and emotional health, to provide support and prevention resources to early childhood educators and the families they serve, and to prevent family conflict from leading to parental abduction.