Standards and training for work with parents across Europe: successes and challenges in developing a community of practice

This paper examines processes and outcomes arising from an illuminative evaluation of a Leonardo da Vinci-funded project designed to develop a transnational network in Europe for practitioners working with parents. The project aimed to share knowledge of and support the development of training, qualification and occupational standards in the sector. The scope for harmonisation of these across Europe or between individual countries was also under consideration. The intention was to establish this network through an international meeting, a new website, e-groups, personal contacts and conferences in each of the host nations. The project was successful in enabling information to be shared between the partners, in supporting individual partners to implement their own specific goals and in publicising the needs of the sector more widely. It was less successful in establishing common frameworks for practice in this area. Overall, partners showed a marked preference for personal contacts and the electronic forms of communication were little used. The reasons for this are examined.