Does Parents Forever work?

Parents Forever is a comprehensive educational program that has proven to be successful in supporting families going through divorce and separation.

Parents Forever is research-based. It builds upon research conducted by the University of Minnesota and other leading researchers. While it has been around for over 10 years, Parents Forever program materials have received frequent updates through the years to keep pace with the changing nature of today's families.

Parents Forever has been evaluated to ensure it meets program objectives.

See the full evaluation

See the evaluation summary (36 K PDF)

Parents Forever classes are led by trained professionals. University of Minnesota Extension educators have trained professionals throughout the state of Minnesota on how to teach and be successful with Parents Forever. Parents can attend classes knowing that their teachers are trained to help them and that they will be treated with respect.

Parents Forever is parent approved. Here are the types of feedback we regularly receive from program participants:

“It's changed me! It's taken the focus more off of me and put it on ‘Where do my kids fall into play here?' It was good!”

“I've eliminated any criticism of the other parent ... not making the children choose sides.”

“It helped me be more aware of my child's needs and to pay more attention to his feelings.”

Parents Forever is court approved. Minnesota Statute 518.157 requires judges to court order parents with contested custody and visitation issues into an approved parent education program. Parents Forever is an approved program, meeting all 25 minimum standards set by the statute.

Even judges have noticed Parents Forever making a difference:

“Although I sparingly cast support for programs, I enthusiastically strike the gong for Parents Forever” – Honorable Bruce W. Christopherson, district court just in Minnesota's Eighth Judicial District. As a result of the program, he has observed:

• More disputes settled voluntarily
• Less child distress
• Less cost in time and money to the legal system
• Less cost in time and money to divorcing parents
• A greater likelihood of settling future disagreements

Parents Forever was listed by the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts in their publication Exemplary Family Court Programs and Practices (May 2005).

Parents Forever is approved by those who work with parents. Here are the types of feedback we have received from those who work closest with divorcing and separating families:

“One of the things I appreciated about the curriculum was the focus on tactics of power and control, domestic violence, and assessing for lethality. I have seen other programs that have left these pieces out, and they are crucial to any program addressing the issue.” a domestic violence advocate

A, custody evaluator for Winona County, Minnesota, said that court-ordered custody evaluations have dropped by half over a two year period. He credited this significant drop to the information that is presented in Parents Forever.

An early childhood family education coordinator for Winona School District 861, has witnessed how the Parents Forever curriculum can lead divorcing parents to learn about being a single parent. Because of parents experiences with the Winona County Parents Forever program, parent classes for single parents doubled in attendance.