Children First Foundation

PARENTING EDUCATION CURRICULUM is a video/DVD-based curriculum targeting divorcing or separating parents to educate them on how to best help their children cope with the effects of family changes and conflict. Organizations can become providers of the parenting education course by purchasing a license. There are currently 11 licensed providers. The agency website offers the class on the internet for parents who choose to complete the requirements online instead of attending class in-person. An internet class and site were created for College of Lake County (one of our licensees). In 2020 we updated our internet class platform and added Spanish subtitles. The parenting course is scheduled to be updated and completed in 2023 offering Spanish and English subtitles.

SUPERVISED & OVERNIGHT PARENTING TIME PROGRAMS provide designated parking and separate entrances. Both programs are designed to reduce the risk of contact between parents during the exchange. Overnight parenting is designed to supervise the transfer of children between divorced or separated parents. This program targets high-conflict couples with a history of problems at the time of child transfer. During the Supervised Parenting Time program, the receiving parent is not allowed to leave the center with the child. The visit takes place on site. All families are court- ordered into these programs. The Family Center in St. Clair County served families with 518 scheduled exchanges and 487 supervised parenting times. The Madison County Kids Corner served families with 469 scheduled exchanges and 1,639 supervised parenting times.

PARENTING EDUCATION - Four-hour Children First classes are offered in Madison County on Mondays and Tuesdays (6-8pm) and in St. Clair County on Wednesdays and Thursdays (6-8pm). Each location offers a Friday class one time per month from 9:00am - 1:00pm. This scheduling allows morning options to participants. As a result of COVID-19, beginning in March 2020, only the internet class was offered. In-person class was again offered starting in April 2022. In Madison County 29 parents attended the class and, in St. Clair County, 63 parents attended. The four-hour internet class was taken by 2,228 individuals in St. Clair and Madison counties and 1,142 in Lake County.

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