About Co-Parenting
Co-parenting programs help separated and divorced mothers share custody constructively and document communication. Most states require court-ordered parent education (often called 'children first' or 'co-parenting' classes) before finalizing a divorce or custody order involving minor children — typically 4–6 hours, online or in person, costing 5–$75. Court-based mediation programs are often free or sliding-scale and certified through state mediation councils. Digital tools like OurFamilyWizard, Talking Parents, and 2Houses provide court-admissible message logs, shared calendars, and expense tracking that family judges increasingly require in high-conflict cases. This directory includes state-required classes, mediators, and co-parenting apps.
14 Resources
Louisiana Family Mediation Services provides court-connected mediation for parents working to resolve custody, visitation, and parenting plan disputes without litigation. Available through the Louisiana Supreme Court family court system statewide. Call 225-382-3000 to request mediation referral through your parish family court. Sessions are facilitated by trained mediators and can help reach enforceable parenting agreements. Fees may be waived for low-income participants. Open Mon-Fri 8am-5pm.
225-382-3000 · Statewide Service · Mon-Fri 8am-5pm · Visit Website
East Baton Rouge Mediation Center provides community and family mediation services for parents in the Baton Rouge area resolving custody, visitation, and co-parenting disputes. Call 225-389-8869 to schedule a session. Mediation is voluntary and confidential; agreements reached can be submitted to family court for approval. Fees are sliding-scale. Located at 300 N Blvd. Bring any existing court orders and a summary of the issues you want to resolve. Open Mon-Fri 8am-4:30pm.
225-389-8869 · 300 N Blvd, Baton Rouge, LA 70801 · Mon-Fri 8am-4:30pm · Visit Website
Louisiana's Families in Need of Services program provides court-supervised family case management, co-parenting education, and support services statewide for families experiencing instability. Services include counseling referrals, parenting skill classes, and community resource connections. Referrals come through family courts or you may call 225-342-6700. Helps parents develop stable co-parenting arrangements in the best interest of children. Open Mon-Fri 8am-5pm; services free for qualifying families.
225-342-6700 · Statewide Service · Mon-Fri 8am-5pm · Visit Website
Louisiana Children's Trust Fund funds parenting education and family strengthening programs statewide to support healthy child development and co-parenting skills. Programs include home visiting, parenting classes, and family resource centers. Call 225-342-7576 or visit the DCFS website to find programs near you. Classes are free for qualifying families and cover communication between co-parents, child development, and positive discipline. Open Mon-Fri 8am-5pm for program referrals.
225-342-7576 · 627 N 4th St, Baton Rouge, LA 70802 · Mon-Fri 8am-5pm · Visit Website
Caddo Parish Mediation Services provides family dispute resolution and co-parenting mediation for parents in the Shreveport-Bossier City area. Mediators facilitate sessions to develop parenting plans, visitation schedules, and holiday agreements. Call 318-226-6789 or contact through the Caddo Clerk of Court at 501 Texas St. Sliding-scale fees apply; court-referred cases may have reduced costs. Bring any existing orders and list of key issues. Open Mon-Fri 8am-4:30pm.
318-226-6789 · 501 Texas St, Shreveport, LA 71101 · Mon-Fri 8am-4:30pm · Visit Website
Jefferson Parish Family Services provides family case management, co-parenting resources, and access to social services for families in Jefferson Parish. Programs support healthy co-parenting arrangements, parenting skill development, and family stability. Call 504-364-2700 or visit the Jefferson Parish Clerk of Court at 200 Derbigny St, Gretna. Services connect mothers with community resources including childcare, counseling, and parenting classes. Open Mon-Fri 8am-4:30pm.
504-364-2700 · 200 Derbigny St, Gretna, LA 70053 · Mon-Fri 8am-4:30pm · Visit Website
Our Family Wizard is the industry-leading co-parenting app providing shared calendars, secure messaging, expense tracking, and court-admissible communication logs. Judges and attorneys frequently recommend OFW because all messages are timestamped and unalterable. Plans start around $99/year; low-income fee waivers available through courts. Download at ourfamilywizard.com. Helps reduce conflict by keeping all co-parent communication in one documented, neutral platform.
Nationwide · Online · Visit Website
TalkingParents is a co-parenting communication app with secure, unalterable messaging, shared calendars, expense tracking, and call recording. All records are court-admissible and can be exported as PDF or printed reports for attorneys or judges. Free basic plan available; premium features starting around $8.99/month. Download at talkingparents.com or via app stores. Helps women document co-parenting interactions for legal proceedings and reduces direct conflict with the other parent.
Nationwide · Online · Visit Website
AppClose is a free co-parenting app offering shared calendars, secure messaging, expense tracking, payment requests, and parenting plan tools. Unlike some competitors, the core features are completely free. Download at appclose.com or via the app store. Helps co-parents coordinate pick-ups, track shared expenses, and store important child information like medical records and school contacts in one secure place. A practical, no-cost option for women managing custody schedules.
Nationwide · Online · Visit Website
2houses is a co-parenting platform providing shared calendars, expense tracking, payment management, family medical records storage, and secure messaging between co-parents. Subscription starts around
3.99/month with a free trial available. Access at 2houses.com. Designed to reduce conflict by centralizing all shared parenting logistics in one place. Particularly useful for storing children's medical history, school records, and extracurricular schedules accessible to both parents.
Nationwide · Online · Visit Website
Coparenter is a co-parenting communication app that uniquely offers on-demand mediator and coach access directly within the platform to help resolve disputes as they arise. Features include secure messaging, shared scheduling, and expert intervention for high-conflict situations. Subscription-based pricing; visit coparenter.com for current rates. Particularly useful for women navigating contentious co-parenting arrangements where real-time professional guidance can de-escalate conflicts before they reach court.
Nationwide · Online · Visit Website
Up to Parents is a free, interactive online co-parenting course recommended and sometimes required by family courts to help divorcing or separating parents focus on their children's emotional needs. Takes about 45-60 minutes to complete; receive a certificate of completion at uptoparents.org. Covers how conflict affects children, how to communicate effectively with a co-parent, and how to support children through transitions. Free to access — no registration required in most states.
Nationwide · Online · Visit Website
Cozi Family Organizer is a free shared family calendar and task management app useful for co-parents coordinating pick-up times, school events, medical appointments, and activities. Features include shared shopping lists, to-do lists, and meal planning. Download free at cozi.com or via app stores. While not co-parenting-specific, Cozi is a practical, no-cost way to keep both households aligned on children's schedules. Premium upgrade available for added features.
Nationwide · Online · Visit Website
Custody X Change is software and an app for creating detailed parenting plans, custody schedules, and visitation tracking logs. Generates professional-quality documents accepted by family courts. Calculate each parent's percentage of parenting time, create holiday and school-year schedules, and print court-ready forms. Plans start around 5-$99; visit custodyxchange.com for current pricing. Particularly useful when negotiating or modifying a parenting plan with an attorney or in mediation.
Nationwide · Online · Visit Website
Frequently Asked
- How many co-parenting resources are in Louisiana?
- Women's Corner tracks 14 verified co-parenting resources for women in Louisiana.
- Are co-parenting resources in Louisiana free?
- 14 of the 14 listed co-parenting resources in Louisiana are explicitly free or low-cost.
- Which cities in Louisiana have co-parenting resources?
- Listings span cities including Baton Rouge, Shreveport, Gretna.
- What are some examples of co-parenting resources in Louisiana?
- Featured entries include Louisiana Family Mediation Services, East Baton Rouge Mediation Center, Families in Need of Services (FINS) — Louisiana, Louisiana Children's Trust Fund — Parenting, Caddo Parish Mediation Services.
- Do these listings include phone numbers?
- 6 of 14 Louisiana co-parenting listings include verified phone numbers.
- Is a parenting class required for divorce?
- In most states, yes — a 4–6 hour court-approved co-parenting class (5–$75, often online) is required before any divorce or custody order involving minor children is finalized. Check your state court's approved provider list. The class is gender-neutral and focuses on protecting kids from conflict.
- What's mediation and do I have to do it?
- Mediation is a confidential negotiation with a neutral third party to agree on a parenting plan. Most states require at least one mediation session before contested custody hearings. It's faster, cheaper, and less traumatic than litigation. If there's domestic violence history, you can request to opt out or have separate-room mediation.
- Which co-parenting app should I use?
- OurFamilyWizard, Talking Parents, and 2Houses are accepted as evidence in court in most US jurisdictions. They provide tamper-proof message logs, shared calendars, expense tracking, and a tone-monitoring feature. If your ex is abusive or harassing, these apps create a documented record judges will read.
- How do I co-parent with someone who was abusive?
- Use parallel parenting instead of cooperative co-parenting — minimize contact, use a court-monitored app for all communication, exchange the child at a neutral location or police station, and stick strictly to the written parenting plan. Document everything. Many states allow supervised exchanges through Safe Exchange programs at no cost.