A Parenting Education Program is a curriculum used by the Department of Family Services that offers caring, comprehensive classes to parents and their children to help them learn new ways to work together as a family. The program is based on the philosophy that parenting is learned – the way parents were raised directly influences the way they raise their children. The Parenting Education Program teaches positive and effective ways parents can interact with their children at every age and stage of development. The focus is on the family - where children learn the values and beliefs that shape their futures.