Florida Parenting Course

There’s no way to truly prepare for parenthood, even with a partner, and arguably, the same can be said for preparing to become a single parent. But a class can’t hurt. Life changes significantly after divorce and your children will be just as affected by it as you and your co-parent. While a parenting course can’t prepare you for everything, there are things the state of Florida believes you need to know. 

How these parenting courses work and how they play a part in your divorce are questions that our attorneys can answer. This isn’t something to avoid, but rather to complete for legal reasons and the betterment of your family post-divorce.

Does Florida Require a Parenting Class Before Granting a Divorce?

Yes, if you share any minor children, Florida requires divorcing parents to take a parenting course.

This parenting course, Florida Parent Education and Family Stabilization, is required for both parents to complete their divorce. You can continue through your divorce proceedings while taking this course, but it cannot be finalized and signed until both parents provide proof of completion. 

You can find online courses by searching for “Florida Parenting Course” or clicking the link here.

What to Expect From the Florida Parent Education and Family Stabilization Course

This course can be taken in person or online. Both options are operated by providers approved by the Department of Children and Families. They serve as a resource for families in the state by working with communities to “protect the vulnerable, promote strong and economically self-sufficient families, and advance personal and family recovery and resiliency.” They offer several other services beyond helping families through the divorce process. 

During their courses, you should expect to learn more about topics, issues, and potential scenarios such as:

• How to cope with changes to your home life post-divorce. This can include living separately from your ex-spouse and children, taking care of yourself by yourself, and maintaining a household on your own.
• How to work together with your co-parent. You and your ex-spouse may not be married anymore, but you are still co-parents. You need to learn to work together to raise your children together.
• How to explain your new situation to your children. How much they need to know and have explained to them depends wholly on how old they are. Older children may need less explanation and more empathy and listening from you and your co-parent. Younger children may confused and require assurances that they are not to blame for their parent’s divorce. While there are no catch-all answers to either situation, we do have tips for you.

What Happens if You or Your Co-Parent Don’t Take the Parenting Class?

This is a court-mandated class to complete your divorce. Unless there is a reason you or your co-parent have been unable to attend this course, the court can hold you in contempt. The punishment for being held in contempt of court is as serious as it would be in other sectors of law. This means you can be subject to fines, sanctions, and even incarceration.

If you are incarcerated, this can negatively affect your divorce agreement, particularly the custody agreement. This can extend your divorce even longer and put your ability to see and care for your children at risk.

If your co-parent refuses to take this parenting course, but you do, then you will not be punished. You need to make sure you take the course, and let your co-parent deal with the consequences if they do not.

Can You Fail Florida’s Parenting Course?

This is not a course that you can fail. Each section has a short 10-question quiz that you need to score over 70% on, but if you don’t, you can retake the quiz as many times as necessary. The goal of the class is to educate and help, not to punish.

How Long is the Parent Course?

The course requires a minimum of 4 hours to complete all of the material. You do not need to spend weeks or even days learning. Whether you have to complete it in one sitting depends on whether you take it online or in person. You can complete online courses in one sitting, but you may need to split up your time between multiple in-person classes.

It’s important to keep in mind that you only have 45 days from the day you file for the Florida Parent Education and Family Stabilization Course to complete it. You need to file before your divorce is almost over, so make sure you have time set aside to do so.

Contact Our Online Divorce Attorneys or Utilize Our Online Services to Streamline Your Divorce

The state of Florida took a big step in allowing parents to complete this course online. It makes it easier for parents to access and complete on their own time. We agree with this sentiment and have applied it to divorce overall. With online services, you can complete a significant portion of your divorce from home, decreasing the length and cost of your divorce. At the same time, you can cut out some of the more emotionally painful parts of divorce.

If you have questions regarding this online divorce, Florida’s online parenting course, or any other family law issue, please click here to schedule an appointment with our attorney.