Parenting Course Requirement in Chicago Divorce

You already have children and now the County is telling you that you need to take a parenting course simply because you are getting divorced.  Yes, every parent in a Chicago divorce case must enroll and take a parenting course prior to the conclusion of their case. Upon successful completion of the parenting course, each parent will receive a Certificate of Completion that must then be e-filed with the court by your legal counsel, with proper Notice.

The parenting course must be approved and endorsed by the court. We recommend the online parenting course provided through the non-profit Center for Divorce Education, “Children In-Between Online.”  This is a co-parenting program for divorcing and separating parents that provides you with the skills needed to protect your children from emotional harm caused during this process. This course has a set curriculum and takes 3-5 hours to complete online.  The cost is reasonable and it is easy to access online at any time.

This allows our clients to register and take the course online with minimum information needed to proceed – internet access, email address, and case number; when completed, we receive and e-file the Notice and Certificate of Completion with the court.  This is one of many things that the court requires of each parent to proceed to concluding a Chicago divorce case; we can guide you through every step in the divorce process, including this one.

Reach out to me, Jennifer R. Ward, at jward@wardfamilylawchicago.com to schedule a time to discuss your family law case during our free initial consultation.