2012 IRIS Advocate Training Conference

Infants Remembered in Silence, Inc. (IRIS) is excited to announce its 2012 IRIS Advocate Training! IRIS is honored to present a comprehensive, national training, geared towards bereaved parents and professionals who wish to assist newly bereaved parents and staff in a unique "Hands On" environment.

This IRIS Advocate Training Conference is the premier training event of the year. The Conference provides a rich learning environment for both professionals and those who have experienced this great loss themselves and now wish to make the healing journey better for those who currently grieve the death of a child. The training offers current and cutting-edge practices and techniques to give optimal care for the child and grieving parent(s) while allowing them to make the decisions that best fit their unique needs and beliefs regarding their precious child. IRIS Advocate training is a "hands on" training that focuses on working directly with the child that has died. The techniques you learn can be used in a hospital and/or funeral home setting. You will learn to work directly with children that have died during early pregnancy, before birth, at birth, and through early childhood, from all causes. You will learn how to assist the parents in creating keepsakes, how to answer their difficult questions, and offer support for years to come.

Our blueprint for success is simple

Small class sizes, one-on-one attention, instructors with "Real-World" experiences in the field with a hands-on approach to learning.

Conference flyer

Who Should Attend?

Those who have experienced an infant loss themselves and wish to improve the journey for those who currently grieve the death of a child
Health care professionals
Funeral directors
And others who wish to support grieving families

Continuing Education Credits

IRIS is an approved provider of Continuing Education Recognition points/hours. CEU's will be made available upon request. 17 hours of education will be provided; CEU's will be calculated accordingly. No partial contact hours will be issued.

Grant Support

Thanks to donations from the Cities97 "City Sampler" Holiday CD sales (produced by Cities97 Radio in the Twin Cities) and a Legacy of Angels Donation, we are pleased to announce that ALL Participants for this IRIS Advocate Training will receive a grant for $455 off the $900 registration fee. This will bring your cost for the three day training down to $445 plus lodging. Thanks to these wonderful grants we are able to provide all participants with nine (9) boxed clothing sets for infants 10 – 42 gestational weeks, a bereavement support packet, assorted books, and training materials at no additional charge.

Conference Goals & Objectives

To raise awareness of the overwhelming impact infant loss has on parents, grandparents, family, friends & coworkers.
To provide you with the skills and confidence to work with grieving parents and professional staff.
To train you in methods appropriate for working with these precious infants/children.
To teach you skills to create lasting memories with/without the parents participation.
Upon fulfilling the requirements and standards as established by Infants Remembered In Silence you will be qualified as an IRIS Certified Advocate (ICA).

Families and Children

IRIS is committed to an environment conducive to learning for all conference attendees. Due to sensitivity of this training and your required time commitment, it is not suitable for babies or young children to attend. Out of respect for others we ask that children are not in the training area, meetings, or at gatherings. If you choose to bring children, please have a support person to care for them in non-training or meeting areas. We appreciate your cooperation.

Conference & Lodging Location

Gainey Conference Center
2480 South County Road 45
Owatonna, MN 55060

The Gainey Conference Center provides all of the comforts of home. From the moment you are welcomed by their attentive staff members, you will know that you have found one of the most prestigious facilities in Minnesota. Located in Owatonna MN, just south of the Twin Cities, the Gainey Center's heritage is one of excellence and Midwest hospitality. For more information and detailed directions to the beautiful Gainey Center, visit www.stthomas.edu/gainey.

Reservations

Hotel reservations will be made for you when registering for the conference. You will have a choice of a private room or sharing your room with another conference participant.

Directions & Transportation

The Gainey Conference Center is located one hour south of the Twin Cities and 40 minutes west of Rochester, Minnesota. Major airline service at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport brings the Center within easy reach of all parts of the country. NOTE: GPS navigation to the Gainey Center will not work, please follow the directions and map listed at www.stthomas.edu/gainey/maps.

Important Conference Details

Registrations are taken in order received with a maximum of 50 participants.
All breakout sessions will be limited to ten participants to allow for one on one instruction.
Lodging fee will be paid with conference registration.
Register now so that you can reserve your spot for this premier training event!

Registration, Cancellation, and Refund Policy

Registration fee must be paid in full by March 15, 2012.
All refund requests must be submitted in writing and postmarked no later than March 10, 2012. We will refund the entire registration fee minus a $100 administrative fee. No refunds will be given for cancellations made after the deadline.

Registration Details

Registration is extremely limited. All registrations will be processed in the order received. Those interested in attending this unique training are asked to complete the registration form below. All registrations must be prepaid to attend. Payment options: Check (made payable to IRIS) or online with PayPal.

Registration Includes

Hotel accommodations
Welcome reception
Memorial reflection area
IRIS 25th Anniversary Banquet
Parent, Grandparent Displays and Discussion
Conference workshops
Conference manual and handouts
All meals and breaks
Continuing education contact hours
Exhibits
Training and testing supplies
Nine (9) clothing sets for infants 10 – 42 gestational weeks
Bereavement Support Packet
Additional Books
Book Store

Daily Highlights

Creative Memories photo editing opportunities: Do you have a picture of your precious child that you would like tubes removed from, skin problems fixed, skin/nail color alterations, etc. Please bring one (1) picture to our Creative Memories experts to enhance. There are simple techniques to edit these pictures and show the child's perfect beauty.
Memorial/reflection area: Please bring your keepsakes to share
IRIS Store
Gainey Center Events (bonfire, nature walk, etc.)
Create a memorial square for the IRIS 25th Anniversary quilt

Workshop Details

It's against the laws of nature for a child to die before their parents. In the past it was considered taboo to see, hold, touch, or talk about your child that had died. Today we know that seeing, holding, touching, and talking about the child is the beginning of healing, the beginning of moving forward, the beginning of lovingly remembering this precious child. IRIS Advocates work directly with parents, granting them permission to cry, to grieve, to ask questions, and assist them in creating memories that will last a lifetime. As an IRIS Advocate Trainee, you will be attending training workshops on:

Parents & Grandparents Point of View: what’s requested and needed, Q & A
Doula services for grieving parents
Preservation of the child's body
Autopsies
Keepsakes
Dealing with Families: immediate and extended
Support Groups – Listening with your heart
Self Care for Advocate
Legal Requirements and documentation
Reality, where do we go from here?
Getting advocate services into Hospitals/Funeral home

Conference flyer