Over the years, one of the biggest and most consistent concerns and struggles I've heard from program administrators concerns how to engage parents and families. Many times, program staff reach out and get limited response or involvement.

In afterschool programs, safety is a crucial element.

Jim Murphy is the senior manager overseeing the national accreditation of child and youth development programs and work with the Department of Defense (DoD) for the Council on Accreditation (COA). He is the past executive director of the New York State School Age Care Coalition, now AfterSchool Works NY—the New York state affiliate to the NAA. Murphy has more than thirty years' experience working with children, youth, and families. These experiences have included providing independent consultative services across the country, and volunteer Endorser, Peer Reviewer, and Team Leader services for the COA. Murphy has also served as a volunteer Endorser for the National Afterschool Association Accreditation program, has been a Quality Advisor for afterschool programs, and Endorser for the NYS School Age Care (SAC) Credential. He has worked in numerous settings, such as residential treatment centers, community-based residential care, psychiatric care, diagnostic and emergency care, non-secure detention care, therapeutic foster care, and in-home family counseling services, as well as a decade of YMCA programming. Murphy is a trained mediator, and has taught Crisis Prevention and Intervention courses, and CPR, First Aid, and HIV/AIDS education.