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Rule 924 – Parenting Education Requirement

May 11, 2021 | Family Law, Illinois

(a) Program. Each circuit or county shall create or approve a parenting education program consisting of at least four hours covering the subjects of parenting time and allocation of parental responsibilities and their impact on children.
(b) Mandatory Attendance. Except when excused by the court for good cause shown, all parties shall be required to attend and complete an approved parenting education program as soon as possible, but not later than 60 days after an initial case management conference. In the case of a default or lack of jurisdiction over the respondent, only the petitioning party is required to attend but if the respondent later enters an appearance or participates in postjudgment proceedings, then the party who has not attended the program shall attend. The court shall not excuse attendance unless the reason is documented in the record and a finding is made that excusing one or both parents from attendance is in the best interests of the child.
(c) Sanctions. The court may impose sanctions on any party willfully failing to complete the program.

Ill. Sup. Ct. R. 924

Adopted February 10, 2006, effective July 1, 2006; amended March 8, 2016, effective immediately.

Committee Comments

(Revised March 8, 2016)

Special Supreme Court Committee on Child Custody Issues

Parenting education can have a very positive impact on the outcome of an allocation of parental responsibilities proceeding. Parenting education encourages parents to think about the impact of their actions on their children and teaches parents to deal with adult problems in ways that avoid harm to their children.

Paragraph (a) requires each judicial circuit or county to create or approve a parenting education program and sets out the minimum requirements of such a program. Individual judicial circuits or counties may permit the circuit courts to impose additional educational requirements on one or all of the parties.

Paragraph (b) requires parenting education for all dissolution of marriage cases involving a child and all parentage cases, absent good cause shown. Compliance with the parenting education requirement will be reviewed at the initial case management conference. Parents are expected to complete parenting education not later than 60 days after the initial case management conference.

Paragraph (c) provides that sanctions may be imposed on parties who willfully fail to comply with the parenting education requirement.

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