Co-Parenting Class vs Parenting Class: Which One Do You Need? Approved by Courts in All 50 States.

The fastest way to know: read the exact wording of your court order or referral. If your case involves divorce, separation, custody, or paternity, you almost always need the Co-Parenting Class. If your referral comes from family services, a reunification plan, a dependency case, an adoption, or a criminal or probation matter, you almost always need the Parenting Class. Both classes are Approved by Courts Nationwide, and both come from Putting Kids First, teaching parents since 1993 and online since 2001.

What the Co-Parenting Class Covers and Who It Is For

The Co-Parenting Class is built for parents who are ending a relationship with each other but not with their children. It focuses on raising children successfully across two homes:

• How divorce and separation affect children at every age, and what helps them adjust
• Keeping children out of the middle of adult conflict
• Communicating with the other parent in a businesslike, low-conflict way
• Building consistent routines, schedules, and expectations between two households
• Handling transitions, holidays, and new partners without turning them into battles
• Protecting your child's relationship with both parents

Who it is for:parents in divorce, separation, custody, visitation, parenting time, or paternity cases. When a judge orders both parents in a family case to complete a class before finalizing the case, this is the class they mean. Court orders describe it with phrases like "co-parenting education," "divorce education," "parent education seminar," or "parenting class for divorcing parents."

If that sounds like your situation, enroll in the Co-Parenting Class today at puttingkidsfirst.org.

What the Parenting Class Covers and Who It Is For

The Parenting Class is a broader parenting skills class. Instead of focusing on two households, it focuses on the day-to-day work of raising a child well:

• Child development, what to expect at each age and stage
• Positive discipline that teaches instead of punishes
• Communication skills that build trust with your child
• Managing stress and anger as a parent
• Safety, supervision, and creating a stable home
• Understanding and supporting children with special needs

Who it is for:parents referred by child protective services or family services, parents working a reunification or case plan, parents in dependency court, adoptive and foster parents, and parents ordered to take a parenting class in a criminal or probation matter. Referrals describe it with phrases like "parenting skills class," "parent education," "parenting instruction," or simply "complete a parenting class."

If a caseworker, probation officer, or judge told you to take a parenting class in one of these settings, this is your class. It is Approved by Courts Nationwide, and you can enroll and start today at puttingkidsfirst.org.

How to Tell From Your Court Order Which One You Need

Pull out your order, decree, case plan, or referral letter and look for these signals:

Signals that point to the Co-Parenting Class:

• The case is a divorce, separation, custody, visitation, or paternity case
• Both parents are ordered to take the class
• Wording like "co-parenting," "divorce education," "parent education for divorcing parents," or "families in transition"
• The class is required before a final hearing or final decree

Signals that point to the Parenting Class:

• The referral comes from child protective services, family services, or a caseworker
• The class is part of a reunification plan, case plan, or service plan
• The case is a dependency, adoption, or foster care matter
• The order comes from a criminal court or a probation officer
• Wording like "parenting skills," "parenting instruction," or "parenting education" with no mention of divorce or custody

One simple rule of thumb: if the order is about you and the other parent, it is co-parenting. If the order is about you and your parenting itself, it is parenting.

What If Your Order Is Unclear?

Some orders just say "complete a parenting class" and leave it there. Do not let that stall you.

Either class is a safe place to start. Both classes are Approved by Courts Nationwide, both produce a certificate of completion, and both teach skills every parent can use. Most unclear orders sort themselves out with the rule of thumb above: divorce and custody cases mean co-parenting, agency and reunification referrals mean parenting.

If you want a second set of eyes, our support team reads court order wording every day and can tell you quickly which class matches yours. Send us the wording through puttingkidsfirst.org and we will point you to the right class.

And if you are referred by child protective services or working a reunification plan, you do not need to hesitate: the Parenting Class is the one built for your situation. Enroll and start making progress on your plan today.

When the Bundle Makes Sense

Some parents need or want both classes, and we offer a discounted bundle that covers them together. The bundle is the right choice when:

Because the bundle is discounted, it costs less than enrolling in each class separately, and you can complete the two classes in any order at your own pace.

Frequently Asked Questions