This page of the FDC website provides technical assistance to local FDC sites already hosting the Family Development Credential Program in Missouri, Kansas, or Arkansas.

The Importance of a Portfolio Advisor

The Portfolio Advisor plays a crucial role in the FDC program.  While Facilitators provide the classroom experience, Advisors provide one-on-one guidance throughout the program.  Like facilitators, field advisors must be knowledgeable of the family development approach and able to communicate this knowledge using their own experiences in their work when mentoring workers in the FDC program.

At the conclusion of the FDC class, workers are required to submit a portfolio, exhibiting their ability to apply the FDC concepts to their work experience.  The Advisor’s role is to guide the worker through this process and to make sure all sections of the portfolio are completed prior to submission.

It is suggested that the Field Advisors attend the annual Facilitators Institute hosted by the MidSouth Regional FDC.  The Advisor should at least be familiar with the FDC curriculum.  If you are interested in becoming a Field Advisor, please contact the local FDC hosting site in your area.

 Important Documents for FDC Hosting Sites

For a variety of reasons, the MidSouth Regional FDC Program office must have current information on where FDC classes are currently being held or will be offered in the future.  It is also necessary for the regional office to know when FDC participants plan to take the required exam and submit their portfolios for our staff to review.  Therefore, the regional office has devised a few easy-to-complete forms to make it easy for the FDC Hosting Site to provide us this information.

The documents below require Adobe Acrobat 4.0 or higher.  If you do not have it, you may download it here.

FORMS FOR FDC FACILITATORS
1) Facilitators Institute Application - Due at least two weeks prior to the Institute, or one month prior to take advantage of discounted hotel rates.
2) Forms A, A1, A2, A3 - Notice to the MidSouth Regional Office of Program Start - Submit at least 30 days from the beginning of your FDC classes.  These forms request information about a class that just started.                                                                                                         

3) Forms B, B1 - Request for Exam and Portfolio Review - Submit these forms after completing Chapter 5

PORTFOLIO FORMS & DOCUMENTS
Portfolio Requirements Document - A list of requirements for a completed portfolio
Application to Receive the FDC - This should be the first page of the completed portfolio
Portfolio Checklist - This should be the second page of the completed portfolio
Confidentiality Statement - This document should be signed by FDC participant and Portfolio Advisor
Participant Feedback Form - Filled out by FDC participants to provide feedback about the program

MARKETING THE FDC
Market FDC - Tips on how to tell everyone you are offering FDC classes
Press Release Tips - Basics on how to write a press release
Sample Press Release - with fill-in-the-blanks!  Modify this document to fit your organization to create your own press release!  Remember, press releases should only be one page in length!
FDC Outcomes - Some results of the FDC in Missouri.
To request FDC brochures, call 816-235-2298.                                                                  MidSouth Regional Family Development Credential Program Evaluation - Evaluation material about the FDC.

College Credit for Earning the Family Development Credential

Through the National Program on Noncollegiate Sponsored Instruction (PONSI) and our noncollegiate sponsor, Missouri Children's Trust Fund, we are proud to offer seven college credits to individuals who successfully earn a Family Development Credential (FDC) from the University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC) Family Studies Program.  Anyone who earns the FDC through UMKC is eligible for these credits.  To obtain an official transcript from Excelsior College for these seven college credits, please contact the regional office for instructions. (For those who have graduated the program during or after September 2005, information about PONSI will be included when you receive your certificate after completion of the program.)

Cooperating Colleges in Missouri, Illinois, Kansas, Arkansas, and Kentucky.