What Are Parenting Classes? Approved by Courts in All 50 States.
The name attorneys recommend, and courts know.
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Whether court-ordered for divorce or custody, or referred by a caseworker, our Co-Parenting and Parenting Classes meet every court and agency requirement.
The Short Answer
A parenting class is a short educational class that teaches parents how divorce, separation, and conflict affect children, and how to keep kids out of the middle. Courts order them in divorce and custody cases, caseworkers include them in case plans, and many parents take one simply because a calmer two-household family is better for their children.
When you finish, you receive a certificate of completion, which is what the court is really asking for. Ours takes about four hours, is completed entirely online at your own pace, and the certificate arrives the moment you finish.
Who Takes a Parenting Class
Parents in a Divorce or Separation
Many states and counties require both parents to complete a class before a divorce or custody case is finalized, so the court knows the children stay the priority through the transition.
Parents in a Custody or Visitation Case
Judges often order a class when parents disagree about custody, parenting time, or communication, because the skills it teaches lower the conflict the court would otherwise have to referee.
Parents Working With a Caseworker
When a child services agency or caseworker is involved, completing a parenting class is a common step in a case plan and a clear way to show the court you are doing the work.
Parents Who Simply Want the Skills
No order required. Plenty of parents take the class on an attorney’s advice, or on their own, to get ahead of a case or to make co-parenting calmer for their kids.
What a Parenting Class Covers
Whatever a court calls the requirement, the content it expects is the same: children first, conflict down, communication up.
- How divorce, separation, and conflict affect children at every age
- Child developmental stages and what to expect at each one
- Communication and dispute resolution between parents
- Keeping children out of the middle of adult conflict
- Parenting time, visitation, and two-household routines
- Reducing stress on children during family transitions
Approved by Courts in All 50 States.
We have been teaching this class since 1993 and were the first to bring it online. That history is why attorneys recommend the class by name, courts know the certificate on sight, and your completion verifies online in seconds.
How Long Does the Class Take?Parenting Class Questions, Answered
What is a parenting class, in plain words?
A parenting class is a short educational class that teaches parents how divorce, separation, and conflict affect children, and how to protect kids from that conflict. Courts order them in family law cases, caseworkers include them in case plans, and many parents take them voluntarily. Ours runs about four hours and is completed entirely online.
Is a parenting class required for divorce?
In many states, yes. A large number of states and counties require divorcing parents with minor children to complete a class before the case is finalized. Your court order or petition paperwork will say so, and your state page here shows exactly how your state handles it.
Are parenting classes and co-parenting classes the same thing?
They overlap heavily, and courts often use the names interchangeably. A co-parenting class centers on raising children from two households after divorce or separation. A parenting class can also cover broader parenting skills for cases involving a caseworker or agency. If your order names one or the other, we have a class for each.
Do courts approve online parenting classes?
Yes. Our online class is approved by courts in all 50 states, and it has been satisfying court requirements since we became the first to bring the class online. The certificate carries a QR code the court scans to verify completion in seconds.
How long does a parenting class take?
Ours takes about 4 hours in total, split into 15 short self-paced lessons. Many parents finish the same day they enroll. Requirements vary by state, and a few courts order longer programs for high-conflict cases.
What do I get when I finish?
A certificate of completion, generated the moment you finish, with your legal name, court state and county, and case number. The court verifies it online in seconds, and a copy goes to your attorney automatically if you provide their email.
Take the Class Courts Have Trusted Since 1993
Enroll now, finish at your own pace, and hand the court a certificate it can verify in seconds.