Parent education programs are now active in every state. These may be mandatory or discretionary for divorcing parents, and include information about matters such as emotional and legal aspects of divorce, the impact of divorce on children, co-parenting arrangements, communication skills, and community resources. In general, these programs are found to be helpful and to reduce conflict between the parties (Ver Steegh, Differentiating Types of Domestic Violence, 2005).

However, most domestic violence experts believe that it is preferable for couples who have experienced severe domestic violence—such as intimate partner sexual abuse — not to attend generalized educational programs. E.g., Report of the New York State Parent Education Advisory Board, Proposed Guidelines, Standards, and Requirements for Parent Education Programs (PDF 1.9MB) (October 1, 2003).