727-312-7470 English Line
813-536-9883 Se habla Español.
Think
CHILDREN
First
OBJECTIVES
The purpose of this four-hour course, for Parent Education and Family Stabilization, is to give parents information, resource information, and strategies they can use to create a supportive, and emotionally and physically safe environment for their children and themselves to go through the changes that come with separation and divorce.
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
THE EFFECTS OF ABUSE, NEGLECT AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ON CHILDREN
Learn about the effects of child abuse and neglect and domestic violence on children. Learn what resources are available, including the statewide hotline as well as where to find resources locally including handouts of those resources. Learn about the state mandate to report Abuse and Neglect as well as the penalties for FALSE reporting.
PARENTS WILL LEARN WHAT IT MEANS TO PUT CHILDREN FIRST
Learn what it means to put the children first, how parents can minimize the impact of the divorce and about the importance and impact of children having a continued relationship with both parents.
COMMUNICATING
Parents will learn about effective and appropriate communication with their children and the other parent. This includes constructive, healthy discussions with a child about divorce.
DEFINITIONS
Parents will be introduced to definitions relating to court issues involving divorcing parents with minor children and will be given printed material to take home.
DEVELOPMENTAL STAGES OF CHILDHOOD
Parents will learn about the developmental stages of childhood and be given information to help them identify and meet the needs of their children. They will learn how a divorce may impact development as well as how to discuss the divorce with their children, appropriate to the child’s developmental stage.
STAGES OF LOSS AND GRIEF
Parents will learn about the stages of loss and grief, the emotions they may experience and strategies to deal with them as well as emotions and thoughts that are typical of children in the various stages of development. To go along with that, they will learn strategies that the experts suggest using to assist with accepting the changes and sense of loss that comes from some of them.
GROWTH-MINDSET
Parents will learn what a growth-mindset is and how they can promote it in both their children and in themselves. They will learn about being creators of their lives rather than victims of circumstances. Individuals of all ages who subscribe to a growth-mindset have been found to exhibit more resilience in difficult situations.
LEGAL
Parents will learn general information about Family Law and financial responsibilities to the children.
PARENTING PLAN
Parents will learn what a Parenting Plan is and concerns to consider when developing their parenting plan.
RESOURCES
Parents learn where they can find assistance in the community, including a printed list of agencies and contact information to take home.
INSTRUCTIONAL METHODS
Instructional methods for this course are lecture, group discussion, role-playing, viewing videos related to material as well as discussion of and review of material to be taken home. The take-home material is geared to give continued access to the strategies and information presented in class.
