A Strong Start to 2026: Building Skills, Confidence, and Connection Through Training

Asaiah Beaman Fisher (Home Visiting Training and Support Coordinator, PCAD)

The start of 2026 has been both dynamic and impactful for Delaware’s home visiting workforce, as Prevent Child Abuse Delaware (PCAD) continues its commitment to strengthening professional growth through wrap-around training.

From January through April, home visiting professionals engaged in a range of meaningful and timely learning opportunities. Participants explored Autism & Epilepsy, gaining a deeper understanding of both diagnoses and how they intersect, through a collaborative session with the Epilepsy Foundation of Delaware and DNEA. Home visitors also participated in a four-part series on the Four Trimesters of Pregnancy, led by Latoya Braithwaite Washington of Mother Baby & Beyond, focusing on how to support families from pregnancy through postpartum.

Additional sessions included Know Your Rights: Interacting with ICE and Law Enforcement, facilitated by Helen Salita of the ACLU of Delaware, and a two-day Introduction to Motivational Interviewing, led by Jim Elder, equipping participants with practical strategies to strengthen conversations with families.

Looking ahead, PCAD is excited to offer upcoming opportunities, including the Dad Effect: Engaging Fathers in Their Child’s Life and in Home Visiting (four-part virtual series); a Motivational Interviewing Refresher; and Soothing the Storm, a half-day training focused on supporting families through infant crying.

Wrap-around training continues to play a vital role in building capacity, strengthening skills, and creating space for reflection and connection — ensuring that home visitors feel confident, supported, and prepared to meet families where they are.

PCAD welcomes continued input from the field. Home visiting professionals are encouraged to share training ideas, suggestions, or technical assistance needs by reaching out to Asaiah Beaman Fisher at AsaiahFisher@pcadelaware.org.

Because when the workforce grows, families thrive.