Aware Parenting Certification

Hello and a big warm welcome to you!

I’m so delighted that you are interested in becoming a Certified Aware Parenting Instructor in Australia, New Zealand, or Indonesia!

I am the Regional Coordinator for Australia, New Zealand, and Indonesia, which means that those wanting to become Level 1 Aware Parenting Instructors in these countries apply to me rather than to Aletha Solter.

What does being a Certified Aware Parenting Instructor mean?

Certified Aware Parenting Instructors are welcome to use the term ‘Aware Parenting’ in the titles of their workshops, presentations, and other offerings, and they are welcome to call themselves Aware Parenting instructors, facilitators, or consultants.

If you are not a certified Aware Parenting instructor, you are welcome to teach people about the theory and practical applications of the Aware Parenting approach without becoming certified.

However, if you are not certified to teach Aware Parenting, we request that you do not use the term ‘Aware Parenting’ in the title of your presentations, workshops, or other offerings (or in your personal title or credentials). We also request that you give credit to Aletha Solter as the source of your information, and give links to Aletha Solter’s website and books so that people can access the source material.

Here is more information about the requirements

To become a Certified Aware Parenting Instructor, there are a set of basic requirements for everyone in the world laid out by Aletha Solter, here.

For the workshop requirement, you are requested to attend a six hour Aware Parenting workshop with either Aletha Solter or one of the level 2 instructors in Australia, New Zealand, and Indonesia, which are: me; Joss Goulden; and Stephanie Heartfield.

Upcoming six hour workshops that count towards certification as a Level 1 Aware Parenting instructor:

The next workshop is an online one with Aletha Solter on Helping Children Heal from Stress and Trauma. You can find out more HERE.

Additional requirements for people in Australia, New Zealand, and Indonesia

Each country then has different additional requirements.

As the Regional Coordinator for Australia, New Zealand, and Indonesia, I request these additional requirements below.

To take part in my Aware Parenting Instructor Mentoring Course, which you can find here.

Please note, you do not need to have completed all of the course material when you apply for certification. Please contact me in advance if you haven’t finished it so we can decide together if you are ready to become certified.

The Aware Parenting Instructor Mentoring Course usually starts on the first of March each year, but if you are wanting to get certified sooner, please email me so that you can join at any time of the year.

I also offer scholarships for people for whom the price is prohibitive.

From March 2025, there is an additional requirement, which is to read my trilogy of Aware Parenting books: The Emotional Life of Babies, I’m Here and I’m Listening, and Sound Sleep and Secure Attachment with Aware Parenting.

If you have already completed training with another Regional Coordinator, special arrangements may be able to be made between me and the other Regional Coordinator. Please email me at: marion@marionrose.net if you want to discuss this.

Not required but an invitation

I highly recommend taking part in Joss Goulden’s online groups/circles for Aware Parenting instructors-in-training. You can find out more about them HERE.

I also invite you to offer an Aware Parenting consultation and an Aware Parenting talk, presentation, or workshop before the interview. If you have not done either of these, it will not affect the likelihood of your certification. It is designed to support you in your journey towards being certified.

We are not willing for you to call these Aware Parenting consultations, presentations, or workshops (because you are not yet certified), but we are willing for you to say that you are in training to become a certified Aware Parenting instructor and that this is part of your training.

The application procedure

After you have completed all of the basic requirements here, please send an email to marion@marionrose.net with the following:

A. Your application form

B. Your written application (see 1-5 below)

C. A letter of recommendation (see here)

D. A receipt of your payment of AUD$303 from the payment link here

Written Application

Please share the following information in your written application (you can also read these in full here):

1. Background information about yourself that is relevant to becoming an Aware Parenting Instructor. Please include a list of all the certifications and degrees that you have.

2. The reasons why you are wanting to become an Aware Parenting Instructor. What inspires you about Aware Parenting? Why do you want to become an Aware Parenting Instructor?

3. Why you think you are qualified to become an Aware Parenting Instructor. Please explain how you have met each of the listed requirements, with details and examples for requirements 3, 4 and 5. For requirement number 3, please describe your experience implementing the three aspects of Aware Parenting, and include at least one specific example of using Attachment Play and at least one specific example of welcoming a child’s crying.

4. Proposed plan. Which aspects of Aware Parenting do you intend to focus on? Which format will you use (short introductions, full-day workshops, support groups, online courses, blog posts, individual consultations, etc.) Who do you plan to work with (mothers, fathers, parents of babies, parents of teenagers, daycare providers, etc.) Do you plan to organise your own events, or will you be working with an organisation, or within the context of the work that you already do?

5. Your completed answer sheets for The Aware Baby study guide, Cooperative and Connected study guide and Healing Your Traumatized Child study guide (see requirement number 1 here.).

Interview / Conversation

After receiving your application, payment receipt and letter(s) of recommendation, I will email you to arrange our certification conversation if I think that you have met all the requirements.

If I think that you have not met all the requirements, I will tell you what else I think is required.

I will also send you a few short articles and information sheets for you to read before your interview.

I will inform you during the conversation that you are now certified as a Level 1 instructor.

Certification is valid for two years with the invitation to renew after that time.

As an Aware Parenting Instructor you will work independently. You will not be associated with The Aware Parenting Institute either as an employee or a subcontractor. There are no expectations regarding the way that you teach Aware Parenting. You will be free to offer both in-person and online classes, workshops, support groups, and 1:1 consultations. The only requirement is that the information you give to parents is based exclusively on the content of Aletha Solter’s books.

If you have any questions about the certification process, please email me at marion@marionrose.net

Once you are certified

I will add your name to the list of Aware Parenting instructors in Australia, New Zealand, and Indonesia here on my website.

I will also send you a certificate and some digital teaching materials (charts and workshop outlines).

I will send you Aletha Solter’s quarterly newsletter with updates and comments from other Aware Parenting instructors around the world, and discussions on various aspects of the Aware Parenting approach. I will also send you my quarterly newsletter.

As an Aware Parenting instructor, you will be invited to join the quarterly Aware Parenting instructors’ meetings on Zoom with Aletha Solter, hosted by me.

The certification is valid for two years. A few weeks before the end of this period, I will contact you to invite you to begin the certification renewal process.

Requirements for continued certification

I am so willing to support certified instructors in Australia, New Zealand, and Indonesia to continue the process of deepening and refining their understanding of Aware Parenting.

From the 1st of March 2025, there are new requirements for continued certification as an Aware Parenting instructor.

This means that if these will be required during the recertification process starting in March 2026.

For Level 1 instructors:

Ongoing:

Reading all of Aletha’s quarterly newsletters.
Reading all of Marion’s quarterly newsletters

Per year:

Attending at least one of the quarterly Aware Parenting Instructors’ meetings with Aletha.
Re-reading one of Aletha Solter’s books, OR reading (or re-reading) one of Marion’s Aware Parenting trilogy of books (The Emotional Life of Babies, I’m Here and I’m Listening, Sound Sleep and Secure Attachment with Aware Parenting).
Having at least one 1:1 session with a level 2 instructor OR having another level 2 instructor as a Listening Partner OR attending at least one mentoring group run by a level 2 instructor anywhere in the world.

For Level 2 instructors:

Ongoing:

Reading all of Aletha’s quarterly newsletters.
Reading all of Marion’s quarterly newsletters