Best Co-Parenting in Rhode Island — 12 resources

About Co-Parenting for Women

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.

Co-Parenting in Rhode Island

Rhode Island Family Court is a statewide system handling all divorce, custody, paternity, and child support cases. The Office of Child Support Services operates under DHS. Providence, Warwick, Cranston, and Pawtucket are the largest cities. Rhode Island Legal Services and the Rhode Island Coalition Against Domestic Violence provide statewide civil legal aid and safety services to women.

12 Resources

1. Center for Mediation and Collaboration of RI

CMCRI in Providence offers private family mediation for separating couples and co-parents who want to negotiate parenting plans, holiday schedules, and decision-making outside of court. Mediators are RI Bar-trained and many are licensed attorneys. Sliding-scale fees available; phone 401-273-9999 Mon-Fri 9am-5pm to request a free intake call.

401-273-9999 · Providence, RI 02903 · Mon-Fri 9am-5pm · Visit Website

2. Children's Friend — Parent Support — Free

Children's Friend at 153 Summer Street in Providence runs the state's largest portfolio of evidence-based parenting programs — Nurturing Parenting, Triple P, and home-visiting for new mothers. Free for income-eligible families. Phone 401-276-4300 Mon-Fri 8:30am-5pm for enrollment. Programs run year-round in English and Spanish.

401-276-4300 · 153 Summer St, Providence, RI 02903 · Mon-Fri 8:30am-5pm

3. Family Service of Rhode Island — Free

FSRI at 134 Thurbers Avenue in Providence provides individual and family therapy, supervised visitation, and co-parent counseling — useful when a divorce is fresh or contentious. Most services billed to Medicaid or insurance; some grant-funded programs are free. Phone 401-331-1350 Mon-Fri 8:30am-5pm.

401-331-1350 · 134 Thurbers Ave, Providence, RI 02905 · Mon-Fri 8:30am-5pm · Visit Website

4. Parents Making a Difference — RI — Free

The court-mandated Parents Making a Difference class is required for divorcing RI parents with minor children. The four-hour evidence-based program covers helping kids cope with separation. Sessions run virtually and in-person across the state; register through Family Court at 401-458-3290. A certificate of completion is filed with your case.

401-458-3290 · Statewide Service · Varies by session · Visit Website

5. Our Family Wizard — Free

OurFamilyWizard at ourfamilywizard.com is the most widely judge-recommended co-parenting app — RI judges routinely order high-conflict parents to use it. Features include a tone-meter for messages, expense tracking, and a tamper-proof message log admissible in Family Court. Annual subscription with fee waivers for low-income parents.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

6. TalkingParents — Free

TalkingParents at talkingparents.com offers a free basic tier with timestamped messaging plus paid upgrades for shared calendar and call recording. Records download as court-admissible PDFs. Useful for moms who want a documented paper trail but can't afford the full OFW subscription.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

7. AppClose — Free

AppClose at appclose.com is a fully free co-parenting app with calendar, messaging, expense tracking, and a parenting plan builder. Less polished than OurFamilyWizard but no subscription required, which makes it accessible for mothers with limited budgets. Available on iOS and Android.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

8. 2houses — Free

2houses at 2houses.com is a co-parenting platform with a financial reconciliation tool that's particularly useful for moms tracking shared expenses like medical bills and extracurriculars. Free trial; subscription required for full access. The 'info bank' feature stores everything from medical records to school logins for both parents.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

9. Coparenter — Free

Coparenter at coparenter.com combines a messaging app with on-demand certified mediators and parenting coaches who can intervene in real time when a disagreement escalates. Useful for high-conflict co-parents who can't communicate without third-party help. Subscription required.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

10. Up to Parents — Free

UpToParents.org is a free 30-minute online co-parenting course that many family courts accept as good-faith effort evidence. Particularly useful for unmarried mothers and fathers entering custody disputes for the first time who want to demonstrate child-focused intent. Free, no account required.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

11. Cozi Family Organizer — Free

Cozi at cozi.com is a free shared family calendar that works well between cooperating co-parents who need to coordinate kid schedules across two households. Color-coded calendars, shared lists, and reminders. Not court-tracked, so use it only with low-conflict co-parents who you trust. Free.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

12. Custody X Change — Free

Custody X Change at custodyxchange.com is software that helps mothers draft detailed parenting plans, calculate parenting time (useful for child-support calculations), and generate court-ready PDFs. Step-by-step interview format. Subscription required; trial available. Frequently used by pro se litigants in RI Family Court.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

Frequently Asked

How many co-parenting resources are in Rhode Island?
Women's Corner tracks 12 co-parenting resources for women in Rhode Island.
Are co-parenting resources in Rhode Island free?
11 of the 12 listed co-parenting resources in Rhode Island are explicitly free or low-cost.
Which cities in Rhode Island have co-parenting resources?
Listings span cities including Providence.
What are some examples of co-parenting resources in Rhode Island?
Featured entries include Center for Mediation and Collaboration of RI, Children's Friend — Parent Support, Family Service of Rhode Island, Parents Making a Difference — RI, Our Family Wizard.
Do these listings include phone numbers?
4 of 12 Rhode Island co-parenting listings include 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.