It has been a long standing requirement in the Probate and Family Court that divorcing parents of minor children attend and complete an approved Parent Education Class. The class is designed to educate parents about the needs of children during a divorce, the vital role parents play in children’s lives, pitfalls to avoid, how not to place children in the middle of their parents’ disputes, and how to support children when parents live apart.
The Probate and Family Court recently announced that effective November 1, 2008, a pilot program called “For the Children” has been implemented for never married parents in Essex, Hampshire and Suffolk Counties pursuant to Standing Order 6-08. The new Standing Order mandates that parties to a Complaint for Paternity, Complaint for Custody/Support/Visitation, and in any other case involving custody or support of minor children of never married parents filed on or after July 1, 2008 now need to attend, participate, and complete the five (5) hour program. Once completed, the obtained Certificate of Completion must be filed with the Court. The program is currently offered at 63 locations around the state, and in Spanish at 3 locations.
With more and more cases filed daily by never married parents where minor children are the subject of the action, I suspect that this pilot program will soon be expanded to include the other counties in the Commonwealth. I would not be surprised if the program was implemented in Hampden County within a few months.
Melissa R. Gillis, Esq.
This sounds like a great idea - i wish this sort of thing was a legal requirement in the UK and it would sort out so many of the problems with divorcing parents.
Posted by: family law | March 10, 2009 at 11:19 AM