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In the former Yugoslavian republics, community nursing services are not well developed to support families with infants who have developmental problems. The purpose of this paper is to design an in-service training package for nurses on supporting families of children with developmental disabilities.

A conceptual framework evolved to guide the design and content of the training package which was further consulted on with local partners. A cascade model of training was adopted, based largely on experiential learning. A nine-session training package (around 20 hours in all) was devised and a Training for Trainers workshop held to prepare them to use the package in their locality. The in-service training of nurses is ongoing during 2014-2015.

Key findings are presented in relation to perceived training needs; the key features of the Training Framework; the content and teaching methods used and the outcomes of the Training for Trainers workshop. Ongoing evaluations will assess the impact of the training on community nurses and on families.

This study provides a conceptual model for the provision of effective in-service training on developmental disabilities for community personnel throughout the region and internationally.