Professional Growth for Parenting Counselors
Training for the staff of Parenting Centers in the Northern District
What is the purpose of the program?
The program is designed to strengthen the professional skills of educational professionals who coordinate the work with parents of students with disabilities across 14 Parenting Centers in Israel’s Northern District. The process focuses on exploring real-life dilemmas and challenges that arise from frequent interactions with parents of children with disabilities. This is done through peer learning, emotional processing, and systemic reflection—aiming to deepen the participants’ professional identity.
Who is the program for?
The program is intended for educators who lead the work with parents of students with disabilities in the 14 Parenting Centers operated by the Ministry of Education’s Northern District. These professionals provide parental guidance for children in both special and mainstream education, and many are also active in community-based educational frameworks.
How does the program work in practice?
Meetings take place bi-weekly via Zoom, facilitated by Alumot Or and led by Maggie Savitz—a certified psychologist, psychotherapist, and parenting specialist.
Each session includes:
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Presentation of emotional topics and challenges emerging from work with parents in the field
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In-depth discussion of case studies brought by participants
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Emotional processing of dynamics with parents and educational teams
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Collaborative thinking around possible approaches and responses
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Development of a reflective professional identity and expansion of practical tools
Why is this important?
The program creates a safe and supportive space for both personal and professional growth. It strengthens the participants’ sense of belonging and partnership, and encourages a unified, sensitive, and adapted discourse for working with parents across the district.
The collective outcome of the sessions—a documented collection of dilemmas, case studies, and strategies that emerge from the group process—will serve as a learning resource for educators throughout the district.