Edmonds College Logo
Apply or request info
Human Services & Behavioral Health

Family Support Studies Course Descriptions

FSS 124: Working With Parents

Credits: 5.0

Explores theories of parent development and different approaches to parenting education that are evidence-based and culturally respectful of families. Includes parent leadership, group process, listening skills, and curriculum development.

Course Level Objectives

  1. Articulate the role of parenting education and the effective use of active listening skills for use in family support programming.
  2. Identify theories and multiple viewpoints of parenting education that promote mutually respectful relationships for families and programs.
  3. Review and critique several evidence-based parenting education curricula for use with today's families.
  4. Recognize diverse child-rearing styles, perspectives, and family lifestyles and identify culturally appropriate skills and knowledge of parenting practices.
  5. Demonstrate skills in evidence-based practices such as listening, strengths-based teaching, and positive parenting practices.

FSS 128: Supporting Families in Schools and Other Systems

Credits: 3.0

Course introduces services and organizations in which families may be involved such as early intervention services, public school systems, positive youth development services, and other child and youth-serving agencies. Addresses breadth of services provided. Includes goal setting, documentation, and systems navigation.

Course Level Objectives

  1. Identify child, family, and youth serving agencies and programs and their functions in the lives of families.
  2. Identify the history of the public school system, how public schools are financed, and their leadership structures.
  3. Identify common ethical and cultural issues affecting families in a variety of systems.

FSS 195: Advocacy and Community Partnerships

Credits: 5.0

Course examines methods of supporting families through advocacy, leadership, and development of economic programs. Covers grant funding and collaboration with entities providing support to families, and emphasizes family self-advocacy.

Course Level Objectives

  1. Define and identify key elements of leadership, effective collaborations, and partnerships.
  2. Demonstrate an understanding of capacity building and community asset building processes.
  3. Identify and describe advocacy efforts at the local, state, and national levels.
  4. Demonstrate communication skills and strategies necessary in advocating with a variety of groups and issues.
  5. Explain the process and procedures involved with seeking grants to support a variety of nonprofit programs.
  6. Identify, assess and mitigate the inherent advantages and power structure in organized systems for evidence of bias.

FSS 215: Family Systems: CD

Credits: 3.0

Apply ecological perspective of human development to family support practices. Examine families in the context of environmental and cultural influences such as social determinants of health and community. 

Course Level Objectives

  1. Identify components of the ecological model of human development.
  2. Demonstrate how an individual's social and economic environment shapes an understanding of their community.
  3. Describe how family support programs incorporate an ecological perspective of the family.
  4. Identify social inequalities, biases, and socioeconomic and political drivers that can affect families and family support practices.

FSS 255: Special Topics in Family Support Studies

Credits: Maximum of 5.0 possible

Workshops with special focus on topics of current interest in the family support field. S/U grade option.

Course Level Objectives

  1. Communicate the goals of the workshop.
  2. Identify culturally appropriate, mutually respectful, interventions and that support and strengthen families in any setting.
  3. Demonstrate knowledge and skills addressed in the workshop.
TOP