COVID-19 Update
Circle of Security International continues to monitor the recent outbreak of respiratory illness caused by Coronavirus (COVID-19).
This is a complex and challenging situation requiring thoughtful analysis and careful deliberation. We are working to be responsive to the rapidly changing policies around travel and group gatherings.
Are you worried about a training for which you are registered?
- Click here to visit the registration page for more information.
With so many communities affected by the call for social distancing and the shutdown of community gatherings, many registered facilitators are exploring creative ways to bring COSP to caregivers. We are receiving many inquiries regarding how to proceed. Our registered COSP facilitator license specifically restricts the use of remote facilitation.
We recognize that this is a unique situation. As a result, we are putting in place the following criteria for those who wish to offer remote facilitation:
While we are offering remote facilitation as an option during this prolonged period of sheltering in place, the key for facilitators is flexibility; there is a need to balance the delivery of the content with holding the distress. It’s hard to learn when we don’t feel safe and everyone is in a state of uncertainty and feeling chaotic. We have found that the calm presence of a BSWK facilitator may be just what families need in this time of isolation. Families are dealing with feelings of ambiguity, helplessness, vulnerability. This has left many feeling quite anxious and stressed.
Over the past few weeks, we have watched facilitators slow down their delivery of the COSP program to make way for the necessary Being With required to hold all this anxiety. As a result, Circle stories at the beginning of the session may take up significantly more time, and storytelling throughout takes longer, as parents seek the competent Hands of the facilitator to offer comfort and help to organize their feelings.
It is during these times that we find the best way to teach the Circle of Security is by being the BSWK Hands on the Circle. But how do we remain present and build relationships from a distance? This can be a challenge when videoconferencing. We found a useful term for this particular way of Being With - being Telepresent. This describes when we are present in another physical location by means of telecommunication technology. Offering parents a lived experience of being held in these moments of uncertainty increases the likelihood that they will pass this felt experience on, consequently helping to ease the worry and anxiety of the children in their care. The more the parent experiences the Facilitator’s competent Hands, the better their capacity to manage is enhanced.
Being With parents is central to the success of facilitating COSP. And in the same way that Being With, being Telepresent, helps families, facilitators also need Hands. We are hopeful that our facilitators have access to the necessary holding and support required to do this work. And thank you for the important work that you are doing on behalf of children and families.
Due to the public health concerns with COVID-19 we will not be able to present in person to large groups at this time. We appreciate that some people have been planning for months to secure financing and clear their schedules to attend the Circle of Security Parenting Facilitator training and our team has been discussing options to help providers continue their professional journeys during this uncertain time, we have come up with a few options. Please note that not all options will be available for each training.
Please note, if you are registered for a training, our primary communication with you will be via the email that was used during the registration process. If you would like to change that email address, please contact us. Please ensure you add our email to your "safe" list so it is not caught in spam filters. We will update our website listings for any changes to our existing events, and which options will specifically apply. Those changes will be noted in red. If you see changes to the website without a corresponding email, please check your spam filters or contact us.
For some of the trainings, we will begin offering a live online streamed version of our in-person trainings in April. We will do our very best to maintain the same schedule you were registered for; however we may not be able to offer the same dates to each cohort--some consolidation within similar time zones may be necessary to make the training experience robust. At the same time, we will keep the basic training format consistent: 4 days of training from 9am-4:30 pm. While it may not be possible to replicate the in-person experience completely, our live streamed trainings will include video interaction with the presenter, the capacity to work in small breakout groups with other trainees in real time and the capacity to ask questions and post comments. As a special bonus-- and to help supplement the learning-- you will also be able to stream video of two registered COSP facilitators as they co-facilitate the COSP eight chapter series with a group of parents. You would have access to that supplementary learning for 6 months as you gain confidence in your own facilitation skills. In sum, we feel confident that we can deliver an intensive and complete training experience online. (In the future, this bonus content will be available for other Registered Parent Facilitators to purchase to access). For US participants, we are applying for our standard CEU’s to be available. There will be a required quiz at the end to qualify for those credits.
Our goal is to reschedule each cancelled training where that is possible. As this pandemic spreads and people postpone events, venues are being booked out and in each area of the world, the logistical challenges of rebooking events vary. We are tracking government regulations and we are in contact with our local hosts, venues, and our trainers, but cannot promise specific dates at this time for each training. Our goal is to present a rescheduled training in each area where a COVID-19 cancellation is happening before the end of 2021. We sincerely hope many of these rescheduled trainings can happen prior to the end of 2020, but cannot promise that for all areas. Please visit our website regularly for updates about rescheduling.
We have other COSP trainings scheduled already through the rest of 2020. At this time it is not clear what travel restrictions will be in place past May but we will honor your registration at another COSP training, so long as there is space at that venue. We will also work to post our 2021 schedule as soon as possible.
We certainly understand that these options will not be able to accommodate everyone. We are happy to refund your full registration fee if none of these options fit your needs. When contacting us for a refund it would help us tremendously if you would please provide your name, email, the training you are registered for, as well as your Sales Order # and the Billing Contact when applicable. Thank you in advance for your patience and understanding as we work together during this uncertain time.
Thank you for your patience as we navigate these rapidly changing rules and regulations. The Circle of Security model focuses on the essence of human experience-- connection in relationships. During this uncertain time, we wish all of you well and stand ready to help you find a training option that makes most sense for you.
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