The Parent Confidence Project provides a map for parents to recover their confidence and common sense and to discover ways they can adjust their part in dynamics that are not optimising their young person’s development of self-regulation and responsibility. The manualised individual or group program equips helpers to effectively engage parents to make positive adjustments to how they relate to their children/adolescents.
Register for coach training & free seminar
For many years I have been committed to developing an approach to assist parents to recover leadership and confidence in being a resource for their young person’s growth in resilience. Over three decades working as a clinician, family therapist, supervisor, and external consultant in the field of child and child/adolescent mental health (as well as a parent myself), my passion and interest in ‘parent inclusive practice’ has consolidated. In parallel I had been studying and applying Dr Murray Bowen’s family systems theory which espouses the benefits of parents shifting their anxious focus away from trying to mould their child and instead learning to invest energy into changing their own selves as a parent.
Dr Jenny Brown
Feedback from Parent Coach Trainee
“I have valued a program that gives me clear guiding principles to reflect on during and after each session.”
“This program has helped me to see how prone I am to rescue or coming up with answers for my clients. The structure of the program enables me to restrain myself and allow parents to go at their pace and develop their own insights.”
The Parent Confidence Project Journey
-
Stage 1: Sessions 1-3 | Stepping back: Observation and awareness
Learning to observe the parent-child interactions when stress is high.
Seeing the pattern
What fuels my child’s dependence or independence?
Shift focus
Where is my energy directed to, child, other parent, or self?
Calm self
How am I reacting?
-
Stage 2: Sessions 4-6 | Stepping up: Adjusting self
Learning to adjust parent interactions to promote the young person’s growth in responsibility and wellbeing.
Recovering leadership
What is in my control? Taking an “I” position
Stronger connection
Connection to the whole child not their problems.
patience for gradual improvement
Seeing the big picture. Living my job description.
It is possible to move straight to the parent coach training without completing required theory training seminars if you have completed an in-depth training program in Bowen theory. Please email contact@parenthope.com.au to request an exemption, providing evidence of your previous training.
Frequently Asked Questions
To use the manualised program, we recommend you start with:
- the optional free introductory course -Research and the Development of the Parent Hope Project
- the theory course is next -Family Systems and Symptoms in Children. This is included in your level 1 training package.
- Level 1 training course then introduces you to the manuals and teaches you how to start using them, included in the level 1 training package.
- Level 2 training extends your learning, includes using the manuals with groups, and enables you to list and advertise as a Parent Hope Clinician upon completion.
The psychoeducation course options are here.
Training to use the manualised program is in an online, interactive learning format that allows for flexibility over approximately six months for both Level 1 and Level 2 training.
Theory course (included as a part of the Level 1 training package)
- Family systems and symptoms in children: 2.5 hours
Level 1 training
- starts with intensive video workshops of about 20 hours, followed by a short reflective assignment. These are best completed over a week to two week period to keep the continuity and allow trainees to start using the manuals.
- you can then start using the manuals, and watch the group supervision sessions (5 hours), with a final assignment on a case example to prepare.
- Group mentoring sessions (2 online sessions) are included to support you in your learning, and in applying the manualised program to your context.
Level 2 training has
- a further 8 hour intensive workshop, which builds on and consolidates the Level 1 learning and enables you to be a Parent Hope Clinician.
- a supervision session to watch (1.5 hours) and a case example assignment to finish this training. Level 2 can be completed a few months after Level 1, and is required to register on our website and advertise the program.
- A further group mentor session is included in this training, 1 hour.
The Confident Parent Course facilitator training takes around 13 hours to complete, with mentor sessions included in the training.
The training is professionally developed online training that can fit into your schedule. It provides active learning via a web-based learning platform, including:
- didactic training
- viewing role plays
- question and answer discussions
- activities, reflections and practise exercises
- listening to group supervision
- live webinars and group mentoring sessions
- case assignment to complete both level 1 and 2 training.
Level 1 and Level 2 commence with intensive training seminars, followed by less time-intensive learning support over a couple of months while trainees commence using the manuals. Each section has some learning tasks to submit, with a final case assignment.
There are 2 levels of professional training:
- Level 1 package: provides Bowen theory training, plus training to start using the manuals with parents.
- Level 2: extends learning about the manualised program to group work and ongoing work with parents. Level 2 is required to list as a Parent Hope Clinician.
The Parent Hope Project manualised program is for practising child and family professionals in mental health or couple & family therapy. Trainees may also be working in family support of ‘non-clinical’ family groups such as community work, pastoral care & education. Trainees who have completed the training and are regularly using the manuals include psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, counsellors, school counsellors and pastoral staff.
Our training explains how to use the manuals with parents, and trains you in what is involved in each session. Parents will work from their own manual both in sessions with information pages for them to use between sessions, while the coach uses the coach manual.
Each parent will need to purchase their own copy of the parent manual (or clinicians can purchase on their behalf), either electronic PDF or hard copy, and can be purchased here.
You receive electronic copies of both the coach and parent manuals at the start of your training.
In 2024 we phased out the version of the manual “Parent Confidence Project”. The only manual now available is “Parent Hope Project”. The Parent Confidence manual used less clinical language, yet was easily confused with our video parenting courses. The training may still refer to the two manual options.
After your assignment has been approved, there is a certificate of completion available in the training portal. Click your name, ‘My Account’ then ‘Certificates’ to download.
The certificate states the content and number of professional development hours involved.
To become a Parent Hope clinician, you will need to complete both Level 1 and Level 2 training. After completing level 2, you can be listed as a Parent Hope clinician on our website, and we invite you sign up to ongoing learning, with access to webinars, resource library, drop-in support sessions and forums. Contact us to sign up.
Live training is run a number of times throughout the year. After the live training events, participants will need to complete certain online training modules to receive Level 1 or Level 2 certificates.
We recommend completing all courses including the theory course, as even experienced practitioners can learn something new and reflect on their practice. We encourage you to use this as revision and application of Bowen theory to a new area.
If you need further time to complete your training, we have a 6 week extension available for $35 inc GST, to help cover administrative costs. Please purchase here and email us to confirm the course you wish to extend https://parenthopeproject.com.au/professional-resources/#training-extension
Manualised program information sheets
Parent Hope Project Manual Excerpts
Introduction To Parent Hope Manualised Program – For Parents
Introduction To The Parent Hope Project For Professionals
Pre And Post Parent Surveys For Use By Coaches