Designed for All

Designed for parents and caregivers at any stage, including foster parents and adoptive parents.

Self-paced and Flexible

Learn on your own schedule with short, practical lessons you can return to anytime

Approved by IHHS

Approved by the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services.

Training Credits

Approved for foster parent training credit. 1.5 hours of credit for each online course.

Explore the eCourses

Who Are These eCourses For?


Whether you're raising your newborn, guiding a teen, or welcoming an elementary-aged child into your home through foster care or adoption, this course is for you.

Foster and Adoptive Parents

Seeking research-based tools and applicable foster parent training credit

Parents and Caregivers

Navigating the challenges of different

parenting stages

Educators and Childcare Providers

Supporting the needs of children and families

What to Expect from the Science of Parenting Online Courses


The Science of Parenting online courses offer research informed guidance to help parents and caregivers better understand children, relationships, and everyday family dynamics. The content is practical, flexible, and designed to respect the experiences of modern families, including foster and adoptive families.


In these courses, you will explore:

How child development and behavior are shaped by relationships and environment

Practical strategies to support communication and emotional regulation

Approaches that are respectful of various family experiences, including foster and adoptive families

Research informed tools that can be applied flexibly to real life situations

The Science of Parenting: Online Support for Every Family


This online parenting course is ideal for biological, adoptive, and foster parents who want practical, research-backed guidance to support children through all stages -- from early childhood to adolescence. With flexible, on-demand access and foster parent credit-approved training, it’s never been easier to learn how to parent with purpose and confidence.