About Kids First
A brief overview behind our impact…
Who We Are
Kids First is a children’s rights organization providing, critical, preventive services to strengthen families through education and advocacy. It was formed in 1994 as a grassroots organization to educate the public about the effects of divorce on children. The co-parenting program was developed out of a belief that divorcing parents would do a better job raising their children, following the termination of their marriage, if they understood what impact their actions had on their children and were taught alternatives to damaging behavior.
Our Inspiration
Each year in the United States more than one million children under the age of 18 experiences the divorce of their parents. Kids First is an interactive experience that focuses on how effective parenting during this time of transition can lessen the negative impact of divorce and parental separation on children. We have grown to meet the needs of grandparents, stepparents and parents that were never married.
Our Success
The programs biggest impact has been on the co‐parenting relationship. Parents have learned to recognize when their actions put their children in the middle of their conflicts. Research shows attendees stop engaging in behaviors like putting the other parent down in front of the child, asking children to spy or carry messages, and fighting in front of the children. Research has also shown that parents who have completed the class are less likely to go back to court following their final divorce order and are more likely to share ongoing parenting duties.