Caring Dads Facilitator Training & Accreditation Agreement

By signing up, you are entering into agreement with Caring Dads - Changing Ways (London) Inc. 100-555 Southdale Road East, London, Ontario, N6E 1A2, Canada (hereinafter referred to as “CD”)

1. INTRODUCTION TO CARING DADS, THE CARING DADS GROUP PROGRAM, ACCREDITED CARING DADS PROFESSIONALS AND THIS AGREEMENT

One of the primary functions of CD is to develop, enhance, and research the Caring Dads Group Program and to teach the associated concepts and skills to fathers so that they have the techniques and information needed to change patterns of abuse, increase their awareness and application of child-centered fathering, and to promote respectful co-parenting with children’s mothers.

As Caring Dads has continued to evolve in both theory and as an intervention method, its teachings have been applied in a wide range of community counseling settings. The Caring Dads Facilitator Training Program has been developed to enable clinicians to apply Caring Dads theories and techniques to parent-child, and parent-parent relationships within these contexts, and is designed to help professionals in a wide range of fields become effective at facilitating fathers as they progress through the Caring Dads Group Intervention Program.

The Caring Dads Facilitator Training Program includes 2 days of intensive training, in addition to post-course Clinical Consultation, and ongoing program evaluation research. During training, participants are involved in interactive exercises based on the program material. Role plays are used to demonstrate key exercises, and participants acquire and practice skills required to facilitate the Caring Dads Group Program.

This agreement is a framework governing the relationship between Accredited Caring Dads Facilitators and CD, and also functions as a guide for Caring Dads Professionals. It is best to have a few simple things written down so that we both know what we’re getting into, who should do what, and what happens if things go wrong. As a result, in this contract you won't find complicated legal terms or large passages of unreadable text. We have built this agreement to ensure that we do what's best for the safety and benefit of both parties, now and in the future.

2. RESPONSIBILITIES AS A CARING DADS PROFESSIONAL FACILITATOR TRAINEE

By signing this Agreement, you indicate that you have read and will honor each of the following statements:

2.1. I am responsible for the entire amount of the Facilitator Training tuition regardless of whether or not I complete the training or earn certification. Both application fees and tuition deposits (if levied) are non-refundable.

2.2. My Facilitator Training tuition covers the formal Caring Dads Facilitator Training Program, as well as the use of related materials provided by CD. Transportation, lodging, and other incidentals are my responsibility. Catering during the training is provided by CD.

2.3. All materials provided are limited to my personal use. I will not use materials from the Facilitator manual for any other trainings, lectures, or seminars.

2.4. This training is entirely educational in nature and does not include any information relevant to the practice or training in psychotherapy. If I desire therapy or psychological counseling I will seek it from a licensed provider. Similarly, neither CD nor this program will in any way train or authorize me to provide therapy or psychological counseling to others.

2.5. Full certification status will be awarded upon the satisfactory completion of the 2-day training program as well as the post-course Clinical Consultation. It is my responsibility to schedule my 4 Clinical Consultation sessions, and to complete the certification process within 1 year of my Training.

2.6. I will represent myself according to the level of training I have achieved. Once I have attended the 2 day training program, but have not yet completed the post-course Clinical Consultation, I will be permitted to refer to myself as an “Accredited Caring Dads Facilitator in Training” or if preferred the more generic “Accredited Caring Dads Professional”. At the end of the post-course Clinical Consultation, I will be permitted to refer to myself as an “Accredited Caring Dads Facilitator” provided that I have received my certificate and written confirmation from CD.

2.7. Once I have passed the 2 day training program, I will be recognized as an “Accredited Caring Dads Professional” and will be listed in the CD Accredited Membership Directory. Listing requires, and my continued membership is contingent upon, receipt of annual license fees. Registration links will be provided once my Trainer has confirmed my accreditation. 

2.8. I have no right to use any of CD’s proprietary marks (including the name, logo and slogan “Caring Dads means Safer Children” without the prior written consent of CD.

3. YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES AS AN ACCREDITED CARING DADS FACILITATOR

By signing this Agreement, you indicate that you have read and will honor each of the following statements:

3.1. Procedural

3.1.1. I agree to cooperate with CD in accurately presenting my services and qualifications to the public at large in order to avoid confusion and misrepresentation, and to make every effort to ensure that public media identifies me correctly.

3.1.2. I agree that my annual license fee includes the license to represent myself as an “Accredited Caring Dads Professional”, “Accredited Caring Dads Facilitator in Training” or “Accredited Caring Dads Facilitator”, as well as my license to facilitate Caring Dads Group Programs, along with my access to the Pro-Portal and associated reporting functions.

3.1.3. I further agree that my status as an “Accredited Caring Dads Professional” is contingent upon paying annual license fees. Non-payment of fees results in immediate revoking of my license to represent myself as an “Accredited Caring Dads Professional”, “Accredited Caring Dads Facilitator in Training” or “Accredited Caring Dads Facilitator”, as well as my license to facilitate any Caring Dads Groups.

3.1.4. I agree that ongoing consultation, support, and additional training as deemed necessary by CD, is required so that I am always thoroughly trained in the CD model, and using the continually updated program manuals correctly. This ongoing follow-up consultation is required in order to address implementation issues, or to take into account unforeseen clinical realities that may be specific to my operational community (e.g. cultural diversity). I agree to attend one CD conference every 2 years in addition to the above. Conferences may be attended via webinar.

3.1.5. I agree to to sustain a model with high fidelity over time and participate actively in the Reporting & Quality Assurance system by submitting required reports for all Caring Dads groups as both an ongoing record of service provided, and to assure compliance with the CD model of service described below.

3.2. Conduct & Philosophy

3.2.1. Accredited Caring Dads Facilitator must normally be trained and regulated social service providers (e.g. registered social workers, probation officers, counsellors) in cases where these qualifications are not required, any agency hosting Caring Dads Groups must have procedures in place to ensure ethical and professional conduct of its staff. As an Accredited Caring Dads Facilitator, I agree to adopt the highest professional, ethical, and legal standards, including professional conduct that is consistent with the following value statements:

3.2.2. I commit that the primary aim of CD is to enhance the safety and well-being of children.

3.2.3. I recognize that children’s safety and well- being is integrally connected to the safety of their mothers. I affirm that is therefore impossible to responsibly address parenting without simultaneously addressing men’s abusive actions towards children’s mothers.

3.2.4. I will work towards ensuring that my interventions to end family violence place appropriate responsibility on fathers to keep their children safe.

3.2.5. I commit to using a gendered lens in my understanding of the impact of men’s violence in intimate relationships.

3.2.6. I commit to working together across agencies and sectors to ensure that CD  complements and enhances existing efforts to end men’s use of violence in their families.

3.2.7. I understand that for the abusive, neglectful, domestically violent, and high- risk fathers entering my service, the need to enhance child-centered fathering takes precedence over teaching child management skills.

3.2.8. I commit to working collaboratively in active partnerships with other professionals involved in men’s families to share information, monitor changing levels of risk levels, and address escalation as quickly and efficiently as possible. I will create a strong track record of collaborating with other social service and relevant stakeholders (e.g., women’s advocates, child

welfare, justice services, child and family mental health, substance abuse services) given that the clients being served and their families have complex and diverse needs that require access to a wide range of community resources.

3.3. Caring Dads Group Program Standards

3.3.1. The Caring Dads Group Program was designed as a seventeen-week, closed group model. This number of sessions is required to meet the goals of engaging men, educating them, and promoting and monitoring men’s ability to change. Every Caring Dads Group Intervention must consist of fifteen group sessions and two individual sessions. Sessions must be substantively as outlined in the manual. Sessions may be run once or twice a week.

3.3.2. After Session 3, the group must be run with a closed format (i.e., the same group of men must proceed through Sessions 4 through 17).

3.3.3. The Caring Dads Group Program must not be advertised or administered as an alternative or replacement for court-ordered domestic violence perpetrator intervention.

3.3.4. All Caring Dads Group Programs will be run exclusively by Accredited Caring Dads Facilitators.

3.3.5. Caring Dads Group entry must be preceded by an intake interview that includes an assessment of men’s risk of continued abuse and of their suitability for participation.

3.3.6. For clients who are referred as a result of child exposure to domestic violence, consideration must be given to addressing ongoing risk of domestic violence. This may require referral to an intervention for woman abuse either before or concurrently with the Caring Dads Group Program.

3.3.7. Conditions for Caring Dads Group Program entry must be met. Most importantly, in order to be enrolled in Caring Dads Group men must:

3.3.7.1. Have regular contact (can be supervised) with at least one of their children. Careful consideration should be given about whether to accept fathers who are in the midst of a legal dispute that is likely or fairly likely to lead to a legally-mandated end of contact with his children (e.g. in Canada, an application for Crown Wardship with no contact). There is a high potential for disruption in learning for men who are very worried that each of their contacts with their children will be their last and for the group as a whole in cases where fathers lose all contact with their children during a Caring Dads Group.

3.3.7.2. Be referred due to concerns about physical abuse, emotional abuse, neglect or child exposure to domestic violence, or for being at risk for these behaviours. The primary referral issue cannot be the father’s sexual abuse of their children.

3.3.8. One of the core principles of CD is that fathers’ participation in the program should have the potential to benefit children regardless of men’s progress, or lack of progress, in making change. Although the Caring Dads Group Program cannot fully guard against children failing to benefit as a result of men’s participation, it can take steps to meet this principle by ensuring that information about men’s progress towards program goals is communicated to others who are involved with men’s children and families. Minimum and Recommended standards for meeting this principle are outlined as follows:

3.3.8.1. At Minimum:

3.3.8.1.1. It is required that a final report be prepared for each participant that outlines his observed progress towards program goals and includes a caveat around the limitations of these observations.

3.3.8.1.2. It is required that men be willing to sign consent for sharing the final report with at least one other person whose role it is to consider the safety and well-being of children. In most cases, this would be the referring profession (child-protection worker, probation officer, child-and-family mental health counsellor, lawyer). In cases where no other professional is involved with a man’s family, arrangements must be made to share the report with someone taking on a protective role. This might be men’s partners, a community leader willing to prioritize the safety and well- being needs of children in this man’s family, or another person willing to take on this role.

3.3.8.1.3. It is required that Caring Dads Groups include contact with mothers of men’s children (assuming they are involved in parenting their children) for the purposes of safety planning, providing information about CD content, making referral to supportive services, or having provisions in place to ensure that these activities are being undertaken by other professionals

already working directly with mothers of men’s children.

3.3.8.2. Recommended Practice:

3.3.8.2.1. A model of collaborative practice across professionals working with members of men’s families. In collaborative practice, it is recommended that there be a minimum of three documented contacts between Accredited Caring Dads Facilitators and the professionals that referred men to the program to discuss goals and the progress of men through the group.

3.3.8.2.2. Accredited Caring Dads Facilitators should have discussions with other professionals involved with men’s families about changes that should be expected at various points in the group and about observations of change inside and outside the group setting.

3.3.8.2.3. Accredited Caring Dads Facilitators should work together with other professionals early on to identify possible continuing challenges, and continue to work together to put in place provisions necessary to ensure child and mother victim safety (e.g. a child protection worker might recommend extending supervised visitation until the father has addressed substance abuse issues and the Accredited Caring Dads Facilitator might help father understand the need for a longer period of supervision and comply with expectations around accessing treatment for substance abuse).

4. YOUR LIMITATIONS AS AN ACCREDITED CARING DADS FACILITATOR

We wish to be clear about the conditions of the training we provide. By signing this Agreement, you indicate that you have read and will honor each of the following statements:

4.1. This training does not permit me to teach others to become Caring Dads Accredited Facilitators or to present Caring Dads Facilitator Training events.

4.2. This training does not entitle me to practice any form of psychotherapy or mental health counseling.

4.3. This training will qualify me to use Caring Dads Group Program concepts and processes exclusive to the areas of expertise that fall within my profession outside the field of psychology or psychotherapy.

4.4. This training does not entitle me to practice any form of Caring Dads outside of my legally accepted profession.

5. USE OF THE CD TRADEMARK AND COPYRIGHT MATERIALS

By signing this Agreement, you indicate that you have read and will honor each of the following statements:

5.1. The content and materials constituting CD are solely owned by Dr. Katreena Scott and/or CD and/or Changing Ways (London) Inc. The name “Caring Dads” is a registered trademark in Canada and several other countries. By signing this Agreement, you indicate that you have read and will honor each of the following statements:

5.2. I agree that all use of the CD trademark, logo, website link or any description of CD, the Caring Dads Group Program or the Accredited Caring Dads Professional model used in any material whatsoever, requires prior written permission from CD.

In order to obtain permission for such use, I can download the Promotion Request Form in the Pro-Portal > Downloads section of the CD website, or contact info@caringdads.org.

5.3. Notwithstanding the above, I will not use the CD trademark or copyrighted material in any program that I develop on my own.

5.4. I will not produce or reproduce CD material in any form, nor will I provide CD material to any unauthorized person for presentation, production, or distribution without prior written permission from CD.

5.5. I will not use names or addresses from CD’s databases or forums unless I am specifically authorized to do so through prior written permission, nor will I share confidential CD information with any other parties for any other purposes.

5.6. I will not use the CD trademark in such a way that implies that I represent the organization in any capacity other than that of an Accredited Caring Dads Facilitator.

6. ACCREDITATION REQUIREMENTS

By signing this Agreement, you indicate that you have read and will honor each of the following statements:

6.1. Full accreditation shall be awarded only upon satisfactory completion of both the 2 day Caring Dads Professional Facilitator Training as well as the 4 post-course Clinical Consultation sessions. Full attendance is required, along with active participation in discussions and successful completion of projects as assigned.

6.2 Clinical Consultation comprises 4 sessions which coincide with the 4 goals of the Caring Dads group intervention program. Wherever scheduling allows, new Facilitators should attend the Clinical Consultation session which corresponds with the program goal they are covering in their first groups; in other words our best practice is to have completed the Clinical Consultation sessions according to the following timeline:

Clinical Consultation Session 1 should be completed before, or during, Intake & Group Sessions 1 - 3 

Clinical Consultation Session 2 should be completed before or during Group Sessions 4 - 8

Clinical Consultation Session 3 should be completed before or during Group Sessions 9 - 14

Clinical Consultation Session 4 should be completed before or during Group Sessions 15-17

No matter how sessions are scheduled, the entire 4 sessions must be completed in order within 1 year of Training to attain accreditation and to avoid having to repeat the training process.

6.3 Certification is completed by submitting the details of the 4 clinical consultations you have completed (date and Trainer’s name) to CD at the following link: www.caringdads.org/facilitator-certification. Within 14 days of your submission you will

receive an updated version of this agreement via email with your “ACCREDITATION RECORD” attached. You will also receive your certificate via email.

6.4 Accreditation is awarded at the sole discretion of the Caring Dads Trainer who conducted the Training event, along with the Lead Clinical Site Director and/or Lead Program Developer in consultation with the CD Board, or by a designated subcommittee.

6.2. Accreditation decisions may be appealed, and such appeals will be reviewed by the CD Board or by a designated subcommittee.

7. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS

By signing this Agreement, you indicate that you have read and will honor each of the following statements:

7.1 Reporting is mandatory and an absolutely critical part of what makes Caring Dads a responsive, dynamic program. As a result, I accept that failing to report to Caring Dads results in the revoking of my license to represent myself as an “Accredited Caring Dads Professional”, “Accredited Caring Dads Facilitator in Training” or “Accredited Caring Dads Facilitator”, as well as my license to facilitate any Caring Dads Groups.

7.2 Submission of reports occurs online at www.caringdads.org/facilitator-reporting. Caring Dads only accepts electronic submissions. The submission of 3 reports is required for each Caring Dads group that is run:

Report 1: Pre-Group Participant Data

Report 2: Post-Group Participant Data

Report 3: Facilitator Data

7.3 Reporting must be completed within 30 days of a Caring Dads group.

8. TERMINATION

8.1. Any violation of this Agreement or any other CD document may be reviewed by CD, which retains the right to withdraw a Participant’s accreditation and to terminate any existing contract with the Participant.

8.2. If the Participant terminates membership with CD she/he may not represent herself or himself to the public as an “Accredited Caring Dads Facilitator in Training”, nor as an “Accredited Caring Dads Facilitator” nor as an “Accredited Caring Dads Professional”. If the Participant were to do so, such misrepresentation could damage the reputation and goodwill of CD, Changing Ways (London) Inc. and Dr. Katreena Scott and could also result in liability to CD, Changing Ways (London) Inc. and Dr. Katreena Scott.

9. WAIVER

9.1. None of the terms of this Agreement may be waived without written agreement of the party against whom enforcement of such waiver is sought. The failure or delay of either party in enforcing any of its rights under this Agreement shall not be deemed a continuing waiver of such right.

10. ENTIRE AGREEMENT

10.1. This Agreement constitutes the entire Agreement among the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all prior agreements and understandings among the parties, whether written or oral, relating to said subject matter.

10.2. No agent or employee of CD, Changing Ways (London) Inc. or Dr. Katreena Scott has the authority to make any representation or promise not contained in this agreement, and the Participant must not have executed this Agreement in reliance on any such representation or promise.

11. AMENDMENTS

11.1 This Agreement may not be released, discharged, amended, or modified in any manner except by an instrument in writing signed by the parties.

12. SEVERABILITY

12. 1. If any provision of this Agreement is, becomes, or is deemed invalid, illegal, or unenforceable in any jurisdiction, such provision shall be deemed amended to conform to the applicable laws so as to be valid and enforceable, or if it cannot be so amended without materially altering the intention of the parties hereto, it shall be stricken and the remainder of this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect.

13. HEADINGS

13.1 Article and Section headings contained in the Agreement are included for convenience only and are not to be used in construing or interpreting this Agreement.

14. COUNTERPARTS

14.1 This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be an original and all of which shall constitute one and the same document, binding on all parties notwithstanding that each of the parties may have signed different counterparts.

15. GOVERNING LAW

15.1 This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the province of Ontario, and the parties hereby submit to the jurisdiction of the Ontario courts, both provincial and federal.

16. ELECTRONIC SIGNATURES

16.1 The parties agree that the electronic signature of a party to this Agreement shall be as valid as an original signature of such party and shall be effective to bind such party to this Agreement. The parties agree that any electronically signed document (including this Agreement) shall be deemed (i) to be "written" or "in writing," (ii) to have been signed and (iii) to constitute a record established and maintained in the ordinary course of business and an original written record when printed from electronic files. Such paper copies or "printouts," if introduced as evidence in any judicial, arbitral, mediation or administrative proceeding, will be admissible as between the parties to the same extent and under the same conditions as

other original business records created and maintained in documentary form. Neither party shall contest the admissibility of true and accurate copies of electronically signed documents on the basis of the best evidence rule or as not satisfying the business records exception to the hearsay rule.