Franklin County- Putting the Children First- Live and Self-Paced online classes

This course is designed for parents who have filed for divorce, dissolution, or legal separation in Franklin County, OH.
Choose from a live or self-paced online format.

  • I don’t have a case number yet---may I still come?

    The Court requires that only those who have been issued a Franklin County, Ohio divorce/dissolution or legal separation case number may attend.

  • I don’t live in Franklin County.

    The Franklin County Court has directed us to only allow Franklin County cases to attend the live classes. You may wish to check into the possibility of taking our online version of Putting the Children First. There is a separate option under the Putting the Children First-Self-Paced Online Course tab, that option is available to anyone regardless of filing status or residence.

  • How long will the class last?

    The class is 2-hours long and will begin and end promptly on time.

  • What if I’m late? I really need to take this class.

    We are sorry you ran into problems getting here. The Court requires that parents must be here by no later than 10 minutes after the start of the class—our hands are tied. You are welcome to stay, but we will not be able to issue a Certificate to you. You may prefer to contact our office to reschedule.

  • But my court date is … and I can’t get to another one.

    This is something that we don’t have the authority to override. You may wish to consider taking the online version of the class, which is approved by the Court. You will find information about it on this website. Please note that there is a fee for the online course. If this option will not work for you, we recommend that you contact your attorney as soon as possible.

  • Certificates for Court- When will I receive my Certificate?

    You will receive a Certificate at the end of the seminar. Take your certificate with you to any legal meetings, hearings, etc. We will also file a Certificate with the Clerk of Court (Franklin County residents only)—within the next few days. If you are unable to attend for the entire class, you may want to contact our office to reschedule. We are unable to provide you with a Certificate if you do not stay the entire time.

  • Questions about Spouse or Court Case- Can my registration include my child’s other parent?

    We ask that each parent register separately for the seminar of his/her choice.

  • What will happen with my court case if my child’s other parent does not attend? What will happen with my court case if…...?

    Each case is different and we do not want to provide any misinformation. Any questions about your case should be directed to your attorney, mediator, judge, or magistrate.

  • Has my spouse registered for/attended a seminar yet?

    Our Confidentiality policy is very important in helping all parents feel safe in their interactions with us. Just as we would not share any information about your status with this seminar, we are unable to disclose anything about your spouse’s status.

Putting the Children First

For co-parents

  • Which class can I take if my case was filed in Franklin County, OH?

    You have the option to take the Franklin County-Putting the Children First- Self-Paced online course (there is a fee) or you can attend one of the live sessions (free). These options are under the Franklin County, Ohio Divorce-dissolution tab. Both spouses can choose either option, you do not need to attend the same version.

  • I don't have a Franklin County, Ohio divorce, dissolution or legal separation case number. I have a case number from a different county, or I don't have a case number.

    You can attend the Putting the Children First - Self-paced online course that is NOT under the Franklin County tab.

Other Parenting Classes

(TAPP, TAPP Express, Parents Who Parent Separately)

  • I have been told to take a parenting class by an attorney, caseworker, probation officer, judge or some other agency. What class do they want me to take?

    Usually, those referrals want you to take The Art of Positive Parenting (T.A.P,P,) class. They might also accept our Mothers Matter or Fatherup programs as well.

  • Our Guardian ad Litem wants us to take a class, which one should I take?

    Usually, a GAL refers to our Parents Who Parent Separately class, and sometimes they will want you to take both The Art of Positive Parenting and the Parents Who Parent Separately classes.

  • What class(es) should I take if I just want to learn some more parenting skills?

    All of our classes are available to anyone, if you are interested in taking a parenting class on your own, we have The Art of Positive Parenting (T.A.P.P.) or TAPP Express. (TAPP Express is not usually accepted by attorneys, probation officers, judges or caseworkers.)

  • What class should I take if I want to learn about co-parenting

    Our Parents Who Parent Separately is focused on co-parenting. The self-paced online class called Putting the Children First is a condensed version of the Parents Who Parent Separately class.