Provisional Certified Family Life Educator (CFLE) Designation
Information on this page has been taken from the NCFR Website.

Students graduating from our department with either one of our majors are eligible to receive the provisional Certified Family Life Educator (CFLE) designation from the National Council on Family Relations (NCFR) without having to take the written exam.

What is a Family Life Educator (FLE)?
According the NCFR website, Family Life Education (FLE) is the educational effort to strengthen individual and family life through a family perspective. The objective of family life education is to enrich and improve the quality of individual and family life by providing knowledge and skills needed for effective living.

FLE emphasizes processes to enable people to develop into healthy adults and to realize their potential. Family life education helps people to work together in close relationships and facilitates the ability of people to function effectively in their personal lives and as members of society. While various professionals assist families, it is the family life educator who incorporates a family-systems, preventive, and educational approach to individual and family issues.

Why Become a CFLE?
Certification recognizes a proven background and understanding in each of the following ten family life content areas:

• Families and Individuals in Societal Contexts
• Internal Dynamics of Families
• Human Growth and Development Over the Life Span
• Human Sexuality
• Interpersonal Relationships
• Family Resource Management
• Parent Education and Guidance
• Family Law and Public Policy
• Professional Ethics and Practice
• Family Life Education Methodology

While CFLEs may work specifically in one discipline, such as parent education or marriage enrichment, their understanding of the many areas that affect today's families enables them to be more effective in their efforts to educate and work with individuals and families. The Certified Family Life Educator designation recognizes the educational, preventive, and enriching nature of their work. Additionally, standards identified for certification help to increase awareness and understanding of family life education as a profession.

How Do I Become a CFLE?
The good news is, Messiah College students from the Department of Human Development and Family Science are eligible for provisional CFLE certification after graduation! Seniors who are interested in applying for this certification, should retrieve and complete the application form found on NCFR's website. Academic advisors can also help to answer any questions applicants may have about this process. In addition, as a Messiah College graduate, you DO NOT need to take the CFLE Examination, as long as you acquire your provisional certification within 2 years of graduation.

MC Abbreviated checklist for Human Development & Family Science Majors
MC Abbreviated checklist for Family & Consumer Sciences Education Majors
CFLE Abbreviated Application Form
CFLE Abbreviated Application Form Directions

Where Can I Get More Information?
Many of the professors from the Messiah College Department of HDFS are Certified Family Life Educators. They are great resources for any questions you may have. You can also check out the National Council on Family Relations’ website.

Recent Survey Results
NCFR recently conducted a survey to find out things like who the CFLEs are, where they are working, how much they earn, and where they received their training. (Coming Soon)