For Parents

First Step: Foundations in Co-Parenting
This four-hour workshop introduces the foundational skills necessary for an effective co-parenting experience. This workshop will explore topics including basic family and parenting law concepts, what role a child’s development plays in building resilience, how to care for yourself during a divorce/separation, and what skills are helpful for parenting together while living apart. The workshop will also introduce co-parenting strategies that work to keep kids from being in the middle. This is a webinar-style workshop and participants are not seen by the facilitators or other attendees. Parents should attend as early in the process as possible or at any time when struggling to work with their child’s other parent. Available Thursday evenings and Saturday mornings.
Fee is $125

Next Step: Putting Conflict Aside
This four-week program builds on the concepts taught in the foundations class, the First Step. The Next Step focuses on co-parenting skill-building, managing conflict, and improving communication. This is a meeting-style workshop with attendees participating online as a group. Co-parenting partners may attend together, though it is not required. Attending the First Step within two years of enrollment is a pre-requisite; if you attended more than two years ago, you may attend again for a $75.00 fee (reduced from $125.00). Because this is a group experience, attendance at all four weeks is required for a certificate, and joining after the first session is not an option. Available Monday evenings.
Fee is $350

Parents with New Partners
This four-hour workshop outlines challenges faced in parenting and co-parenting when new partners are introduced into the family. The impact of a new relationship on family systems is discussed along with strategies for making this transition successful for children and to enhance the family experience for all. Open to parents and new partners, as well as parents who have not re-partnered but want to support their children in a blending family. This is a meeting-style workshop with attendees participating online as a group. Attending the First Step within two years of enrollment is a pre-requisite; if you attended more than two years ago, you may attend again for a $50.00 fee (reduced from $95.00). Available Thursday evenings and Saturday mornings.
Fee is $125.00, or $225 for 2 parents

Kids First Program for Women
This six-hour workshop is designed for female-identifying parents who have left relationships where intimate partner violence or domestic abuse is present. This program provides information about parenting under these circumstances, about abuse, safety planning and community resources. This is a meeting-style workshop with attendees participating online as a group. Available Saturday mornings.
Fee is $125

ICOPE (Intensive Co-Parent Education)
This nine-week program is for parents who have demonstrated to a judge or magistrate that the lack of effective co-parenting is negatively impacting their children. Participants must be ordered by a Maine court to attend ICOPE, though parents may ask a court for a referral order. ICOPE is designed to build co-parenting skills for parents who are in high-conflict situations or, alternatively, have little or no effective communication, either during the initial parental rights litigation or post-judgment. Psycho-educational programs such as this are predicated on the understanding that conflict resolution is about changing behaviors and actions, and not about changing feelings. Parents attending this course must be separated or divorced from each other and will be assigned together into a 9-week session. This is a meeting-style workshop with attendees participating online as a group. Attending the First Step within two years of enrollment is a pre-requisite; if you attended more than two years ago, you may attend again for a $75.00 fee (reduced from $125.00).

In order to be considered for this program, parents must upload a copy of their ICOPE attendance order here. Each parent will also be required to participate in an intake process prior to being assigned to a class. It is the responsibility of each parent who is ordered to the ICOPE program to assure that the Kids First Center has accurate contact information, including but not limited to current name, address, phone number and email address. Unless parent does not have an email, most communication between the Kids First Center and parents will be by email only.