The Organisation Certification Practicum is designed to lead an organisation to transform its culture and philosophy of care to embody the principles, values and skills of the DDP practice model.
The Practicum is the core of the Certification process that includes implementation of the initial Action Plan with ongoing consultation, supervision and training from the Primary Consultant. It is an active process of staff training, program/service evaluation and development, and organisational change that results in meeting the Certification Requirements.
The creation of a Portfolio of Evidence is essential; it tells the story of the organisation’s certification journey and provides examples of how DDP principles are implemented in all aspects of the organisation’s life.
Experience informs that taking time with the certification process leads to a robust organisation which has DDP embedded in helpful and enduring ways. Therefore, organisations considering embarking on the certification journey should be aware that this is likely to be a lengthy process of several years (maybe more) with the associated costs for training and consultancy.
Portfolio of Evidence
By the end of the practicum DDPI will be certifying you as a DDP-informed Organisation which means that all parts of your organisation will be impacted upon by the DDP principles. The portfolio needs to demonstrate the evidence that this is the case.
In practice this means demonstrating:
- The open and engaged stance, centred around the use of PACE in practice, with relationships being at the focus of the organisation.
- The commitment to Affective-Reflective practice with the importance of relationships and emotional connection at the heart of this.
- Interactions with people – recruitment, supervision, support, and parenting of the children, will be guided by these principles.
- All people at the heart of the Organisation (staff, carers and children & young people) experience the relationship as central, with inevitable ruptures being quickly repaired as guidance, coaching, mentoring, supervising and supporting is all done with careful attention to maintaining an emotionally connected relationship.
- The importance of enhancing reflective function throughout the organisation and working in a way that supports emotional regulation for all individuals – staff, carers, children and young people.
- The ‘two hands of parenting’, that we support the carers to apply in their parenting, is evident within the organisation generally. ie the Organisation is a warm, nurturing and reflective organisation which provides clear structure, boundaries, limits whilst also maintaining emotional connection between individuals. This models throughout the Organisation what we want the carers to provide for the children.’
- Interactions with people in the team around the child external to the Organisation (parent/carers and professionals) will aim, as within the organisation, to be open and engaged and centred around the use of PACE in practice.
The role of the Second Consultant is to provide an independent review of Practicum progress at a mid-point in the process, as defined by the Primary Consultant, and at the end, when the Organisation and the Primary Consultant ascertain readiness for Certification.
At both points, the Second Consultant may visit the Organisation, interview Practicum participants, and so forth. Also at both points, the Second Consultant may describe additional activities necessary to complete the accepted Action Plan.
The Organisation will receive a written review, Organisation DDP Certification mid-point and final review pro-forma, from both Consultants at the mid-point and final review stages.