Course Description

• 4-Hour, Timed Parenting Education Class for Divorce
• Entirely Available Online
• 30 or 45 Day Enrollment, Extensions Not Available
• Log Off/On at Your Convenience, Progress is Saved
• Retake Quizzes Unlimited Times Until You Pass
• Certificates Available Immediately Upon Successful Completion
• Curricula Written by Licensed Attorneys and Counselors/Therapists
• Supported Devices:    PC or Apple desktop/laptop, Apple or Android tablets or mobile devices
• Supported Browsers:  Google Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Microsoft Edge

This course is a four-hour, timed, online Parenting Education Program, and satisfies the requirement of the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act, 750 Illinois Compiled Statutes 5, Section 404.1 (2016), which states that, “[i]n an action for dissolution of marriage involving minor children, or in a post-judgment proceeding involving minor children, the court may on its own motion order the parties, excluding the minor children, to attend an educational program concerning the effects of dissolution of marriage on the children, if the court finds that it would be in the best interests of the minor children.”  This course is a web-based course and is available online through our website.

The course is divided into 3 Modules.  The first Module is comprised of 3 videos and three quizzes which must be taken in order.  The first Module is approximately 3 hours; the videos are two hours and forty minutes and the quizzes should take about 20 minutes.  Participants must pass each quiz with a score of 70% to proceed to the next section.  The first Module discusses general parenting concepts related to divorce or parental separation.  It begins by explaining the purpose and objectives of parenting education classes for divorce/parental separation.  It explains how divorce/parental separation impacts children at various stages of development, and describes how divorce/parental separation may create toxic levels of stress, and therefore be harmful to children.  The course goes on to educate about different types of parental conflict and how destructive conflict and withdrawal behaviors can lead to an environment of harmful toxic stress.  It then describes protective factors and how they may guard against the harmful effects of toxic stress.  Further, the course teaches parents how to recognize symptoms of distress exhibited by their children at different stages of development, and how to protect their children from exposure to harm during the divorce/separation process.  It teaches how parenting style, having a cooperative co-parenting relationship, parents’ well-being, a quality parent-child relationship, maintaining continuity of child care routines, and possessing coping skills all serve as protective factors against any negative impact divorce/separation may have on children.  The course then provides an overview of different child custody terminology, including Best Interests, Parenting Plans, and Child Support.  Next, the course provides various tips for parents to help their children cope with the divorce/separation and offers parenting time recommendations, including overnight recommendations, based on the developmental needs of the children.

The second Module consists of a PDF document and a quiz which should take the participant 20 minutes to complete.  This Module contains the Illinois Addendum which provides information specific to Illinois laws and requirements.

The third Module consists of a PDF document and a quiz which should stake the participant 20 minutes to complete.  This Module contains the Coping Skills Manual which offers parents some skill-building opportunities which are typically only available in a live, group setting.

Course Objectives

• Educate parents about the impact parenting time and the allocation of parental responsibilities has on children.

  • Parenting Time – Information about the benefits to children of maintaining a stable and consistent relationship with both parents, suggestions about how to develop a parenting plan, and effective communication between the parents about parenting time.

  • Permanency of Parental Role / Shared Parenting – Information about how children are positively impacted by a continuing relationship with both parents and the types of support children need from both parents.

• Learn how to prevent harm to children throughout the process of divorce.

  • Learn about toxic stress and harm to children.

  • Developmental Stages of Childhood – This component shall include information on the developmental stages of childhood, as well as how a divorce may impact development, what parents can do to minimize the impact of the divorce, and when to seek additional help for a child experiencing problems;

  • Communicating With Children in a Divorce Situation – Information about discussing divorce-related issues with children in reference to the developmental stage of the child.

  • Communicating With the Other Parent – The negative impact of a parent expressing anger toward the other parent in front of the children, the benefits to children of keeping them out of the middle of parental conflict, and how to establish a relationship with the other parent which shall minimize the children’s exposure to parental conflict.

  • Learn about protective factors.

• Legal Concepts – General information about Illinois family law, including references to statutory definitions as they relate to court issues involving divorcing parents with minor children and financial responsibilities to the children.