Parenting After Separation Course in Newfoundland and Labrador
Parenting After Separation Course in Newfoundland and Labrador
If you've filed a family court application involving children in Newfoundland and Labrador, both parents must complete a mandatory parent education session before mediation or trial can proceed. Skipping it isn't an option — the court won't move forward without your completion certificate on file.
The Course: Living Apart, Parenting Together
The program is called "Living Apart, Parenting Together" and it's run by Family Justice Services (FJS), a division of the Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador.
Key details:
- Duration: 3 hours
- Format: Online (accessible from home)
- Cost: Free
- Attendance: Separate sessions — you and the other parent will not be in the same session
- Certificate: You receive a completion certificate that must be saved and filed with the court
What the Course Covers
The curriculum focuses on three areas:
The impact of separation on children. Age-appropriate coping strategies, how children process conflict at different developmental stages, and warning signs that a child is struggling with the transition.
Healthy co-parenting strategies. Practical techniques for reducing conflict between parents, communicating without escalating, and keeping children out of the middle. The course emphasizes that children do best when they maintain strong relationships with both parents.
Legal and process basics. An overview of alternative dispute resolution options, how FJS mediation works, and what goes into a parenting plan. This is general orientation — the course doesn't provide legal advice specific to your situation.
When to Complete It
FJS schedules the course as part of its intake process after a court referral. Both parents need to complete it before mediation sessions can begin.
Some parents complete the course proactively — before filing — to better understand the system they're about to enter. This is allowed and can be helpful, especially if you want to draft a parenting plan proposal before the formal FJS process starts.
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What the Course Doesn't Cover
The Living Apart, Parenting Together session is educational, not practical. It explains the impact of separation on children and introduces the idea of a parenting plan, but it doesn't:
- Help you draft specific parenting time schedules
- Calculate child support or the 40% shared-parenting threshold
- Address your specific custody situation
- Provide legal advice about your rights
These gaps are where the work of actually building your parenting plan begins. The course gives you the framework; you still need to fill in the details.
The Newfoundland and Labrador Custody and Parenting Plan Guide picks up where the course leaves off — providing the worksheets, schedule templates, and clause-by-clause drafting tools to turn the course's general principles into a specific, enforceable parenting plan.
Get Your Free Newfoundland and Labrador — Parenting Plan Starter Checklist
Download the Newfoundland and Labrador — Parenting Plan Starter Checklist — a printable guide with checklists, scripts, and action plans you can start using today.