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10/26/2019  |   1:00 PM - 2:15 PM   |  Ventana Ballroom B

Fostering Parent Engagement Through Strengths Based Practice

Attention to coaching and empowering parental caregivers has emerged as a priority in hearing health and habilitation. Throughout the developing world however, sustainability of parent education and child services is challenging due to several factors that include limited resources and technology, limited professional training and education, as well as limited teacher and parent training in areas of hearing differences and habilitation. With specific regard to children who are deaf and hard of hearing, training in parent empowerment and participation are considered important but do not often find their way onto the hearing health agenda. A 2011 annual meeting at the Coalition for Global Hearing Health conference revealed the critical need for parent empowerment and engagement in the developing world (Parent Empowerment Committee Meeting, CGHH conference, House Ear Institute, Los Angeles 2011). Further, science indicates that outcomes in children’s development are best realized when parental caregivers have good self-esteem, develop competencies, and are emotionally equipped to cope. The complexity of the global hearing health and humanitarian industry and the predicament of most parents living in resource poor communities imply a traditional approach to parent education and intervention will not be effective and must change. Based on twenty years of experience coaching families, training practitioners, and evidence in the science of positive psychology, the presenter will focus on ways to enable caregivers using a character strengths approach. The approach is known to foster competence and self-efficacy. Because parental caregivers must be emotionally prepared in their journey to parent children with hearing loss and cope with their children’s hearing and learning needs, parental capacity and potential must become a focus. Audience members will engage in a short experience and practice a strengths-based exercise. Professionals working with families of children with disabilities are welcome to infuse such practice into their parent education and intervention projects.

• To learn the value of character strengths interventions
• To inform practitioners of unique coaching practices that promote caregiver well-being
• To foster essential ways to motivate and engage caregivers

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Joanne Travers (Primary Presenter), Partners for A Greater Voice, greatervoice@comcast.net;
Joanne is founder and director of Partners for A Greater Voice (PGV). The organization has provided training and education to hundreds of practitioners and over a thousand parents in the Dominican Republic, India, and Honduras. Currently, PGV provides support to practitioners, focusing on caregiver well-being; training programs empower and engage caregivers in their potential and their responsiveness to children's hearing and learning. Joanne has counseled parents since 1995. She is inspired by her two adult children who were born with Ushers syndrome. She has served as a director of the board of the Coalition for Global Hearing Health from its inception until 2014. She has a Masters degree in International Management and is certified in positive psychology. Joanne published a book called Coaching and Empowering Caregivers of Children with Hearing loss, an approach to foster well-being. Free copies will be available to qualified practitioners traveling from low-resource countries.

ASHA DISCLOSURE: Financial - No relevant financial relationship exists. Nonfinancial - No relevant nonfinancial relationship exists.

AAA DISCLOSURE: Financial - Receives support from Partners for A Greater Voice,Inc..