65C-32.003. Required Components of the Parenting Course

(1) All parenting courses developed pursuant to the requirements of Section 61.21, F.S. and Rule Chapter 65C-32, F.A.C., shall be named the “Parent Education and Family Stabilization Course.” Course providers are permitted to assign a unique name to their curriculum.

(2) The provider of a parenting course shall provide to each participant a printed disclaimer in written form which states the following: “The components of the parenting course are intended for educational purposes only. The presentation of this material is not intended to constitute mental health therapy, give information on specific mental health disorders nor medications to treat mental health disorders. Participants are encouraged to discuss specific mental health questions with a licensed mental health therapist of their choice.”

(3) The legal component of the parenting course shall provide general Florida family law principles. The presentation of this material is not intended to constitute legal advice and the course material must direct the participant to consult with a licensed attorney for answers to specific legal questions.

(4) The components required for the Parent Education and Family Stabilization Course in the state of Florida shall include the following:

(a) Divorce as Loss. This component shall include recognition of divorce as the loss of the current family structure and processes experienced by adults and children in working through loss. In addition, a distinction shall be made between loss of the current family structure and the continuing parental role;

(b) Permanency of Parental Role/Shared Parenting. This component shall include information about how children are positively impacted by a continuing relationship with both parents and the types of support children need from both parents;

(c) 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;

(d) Communicating with Children in a Divorce Situation. This component shall include information about discussing divorce-related issues with children in reference to the developmental stage of the child;

(e) Communicating with the Other Parent. This component shall include 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;

(f) Abuse. This component shall include information on the power and control dynamics of domestic violence and the statewide toll-free domestic violence hotline telephone number where services may be accessed. An explanation of child abuse and neglect and the statutory mandate to report such incidences to the Florida Abuse Hotline must also be included, in addition to the penalties for false reporting;

(g) Legal Concepts. This component shall include general information about Florida family law, including references to statutory definitions as they relate to court issues involving divorcing parents with minor children and financial responsibilities to the child(ren); and,

(h) Parenting Time. This component shall include 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.

Rulemaking Authority 61.21(3)(e) FS. Law Implemented 61.21(2) FS. History–New 11-25-07, Amended 4-17-16.