Deaconess Children’s Services' Parent Educators Achieve Incredible Years Parent Group Leader Certification

Deaconess Children’s Services proudly recognizes Parent Educators, Jenny Martin and Kari Pendray, who have achieved Incredible Years Parent Group Leader Certification.

This achievement by Jenny and Kari means parents can trust the quality of services they receive. The Incredible Years is a proven to work, evidence based group program for parents of children aged 2-7 years, which emphasizes parenting skills to promote children’s social competence and reduce behavior problems, such as knowing how to play with children, helping children learn, using praise and incentives effectively. Parents also learn the importance of consistency, limit-setting and effective strategies to handle misbehavior. One of the program’s unique features is the relationship building between parents and their children, which helps children develop trust, helps reduce childhood stress, and builds their desire to be able to comply with instructions both at home and in other settings.

The Incredible Years programs were developed by Carolyn Webster-Stratton, M.S.N., M.P.H., Ph.D., Professor and Director of the Parenting Clinic at the University of Washington. As a nurse and licensed clinical psychologist, Dr. Webster-Stratton has had extensive clinical experience helping over 1,000 families whose children were diagnosed with conduct problems and attention deficit disorder.

To achieve Incredible Years certification, Jenny and Kari each attended three-day Incredible Years Group Leader trainings, have facilitated numerous parent classes and participated in weekly, monthly and semi-annual peer reviews and consultations with Dr. Webster-Stratton.

According to Deaconess’ Vice President of Programs, Chanelle Carlin, Deaconess has been offering the Incredible Years program to parents and caregivers in Snohomish County for three years and is very excited to be able to have two of its Parent Educators with IY Group Leader Certification. The requirements for certification are strict, and our staff have clearly shown their work is of high quality and credible. Jenny and Kari have achieved a level of professionalism and confidence which offers empowers children and their parents to see the greatest success and believe in a life full of possibilities.

Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful. – Albert Schweitzer