Roane State Community College

As of January 1, 2001, the State of Tennessee has mandated that all divorcing parents with minor children attend a four-hour Parent Education Seminar before their final hearing (HB 1512 and SF 1885). The seminar is to teach the importance of protecting and enhancing the child's emotional development during this difficult time. The seminar, called Parenting and Divorce, does not tell parents how to raise their children; rather, this class aims to accomplish 4 simple but highly important goals.

They are:

1. How to strengthen the family unit by focusing on what children are going through and on ways to help them cope with the divorce and feelings of loss.
2. How to communicate more effectively with your children and your former spouse.
3. How to identify the warning signs of depression and anger in your children.
4. How to handle the trauma children face during and after the family unit changes due to divorce or separation.

Registration

Students can register for all Parenting classes online at: Register Here. These classes are conducted through the Workforce Training Office.

If you have questions about registration, please contact Deborah Porter at porterdc1@ronaestate.edu

You may also register in person for classes, held at any campus, in all business offices, but you must register at least 24 hours prior to the class.

NOTE: All payments must be submitted before the class start date. Instructors can not take payments of any kind.

• Frequently Asked Questions
• Register Here for our Zoom class. 
• Register Here for our In-Person class.
• Contact Deborah Porter for more information at: Porterdc1@roanestate.edu

Curriculum

Parenting and Divorce is an interactive seminar designed to help parents understand the needs of their children during the transition of divorce. Skilled facilitators will guide parents through interactive discussions, role-playing exercises, and informational charts to help them recognize how to make decisions for the betterment of their children's lives, not through anger at each other. Parents are reminded that the dissolution of a marriage is not the dissolution of a family. Relationships and responsibilities with the family may change, but children still have a mother and a father. It is important for parents to understand the impact of divorce on children of different ages. This seminar enables parents and their children to deal with the impact of divorce in a way that is helpful to all family members.

The curriculum includes the following topics:

• Divorce Terms You Need to Know
• Talking with Your Child About Divorce
• Helping Children Through Divorce
• The Many Experiences of Divorce
• Stages of Loss and Grief
• Divorce and the Stages of Child Development
• What About Children's Residence
• Divorced Parenting
• Visitation- Parenting Time- Parental Access
• The Economic Impact of Divorce, Parenting Plans
• Divorce Counseling
• Communicating with the Other Parent
• Games Parents and Children Play
• Dealing with Anger
• Families in Transition

Certificate of Completion

One copy of the Certification of Completion will be given at the end of class. Roane State Community College is not responsible for sending Certifications of Completion to the court.