Summary: Kentucky has a population of about 4,454,000 citizens according to the United States Census Bureau.  According to a study conducted by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, in 2018 Kentucky ranked number 37 across the nation as far as economic well-being.  The indicators that are used to come up with this rankings is derived from factors such as children in poverty, children whose parents lack secure employment, children living in households with a high housing cost burden, and teens not in school and working.  The study also includes other factors such as education, health, and family and community.   For the area of family and community, the study measures factors such as children in single-parent families and children living in high poverty areas.  This data was used to analyze some factors that may cause burdens on families in Kentucky.  

            Over the last several years Kentucky has seen an increase in the manufacturing industry and the retail industry.  Due to this increase in industry and population, they have also seen an increase in the amount of people using illicit drugs and alcohol.  The cost of this has shown up in some families residing in Kentucky.   In particular in Hardin County, more families have been convicted of various crimes related to drug and alcohol abuse while in the presence of minors and/or the neglect of a minor child or children.  Due to this, more parents are prone to getting a court order to have their children removed from the home for the protection of the children.   Typically what happens is the Child Protective Services of Hardin County (Cabinet for Child and Health Services) are contacted by someone with concerns of a child being neglected or abused.  Child Protective services along with court officials and police intervene on behalf of the child to initiate a process of getting the child removed from the home and placing the child in protective custody with a relative or a foster parent.  The parents are then ordered by the Kentucky court system to take a series of parenting classes or a combination of parenting classes and classes for anger management and drug and alcohol rehabilitation.  Some cases vary in that one of the parents may have allowed their children to be around someone who is either selling or using some type of illegal drug or substance.  They too are subject to face charges of having to go thru the court system due to the situation of having drugs on the premises whether they are aware that of the situation or not.  

After conducting a needs assessment with community organizations within Hardin County, Kentucky State University’s Cooperative Extension program started to offer parenting classes in Hardin County in May 2018.  In its infantry stages there were only two participants in Elizabethtown, KY who participated in taking the parenting classes.  As of June 2019, the program has expanded into helping numerous families in Hardin county.  This year a total of eight families have completed the parenting program offered thru Kentucky State University's Cooperative Extension Program.  The parenting classes that are offered thru Kentucky State University's Cooperative Extension Program are free of charge to the participants.  This program provides a way for families struggling financially to meet the requirements of the court system. Other parenting classes that are offered within Hardin county can cost anywhere from $50 an hour to $150 per hour with the total cost ranging from $600-$2100. The program includes a 6-8 week course that last for two hours in each session.  Participants are expected to attend 6 classes for a total of twelve hours to meet the requirements of the Kentucky Court of Justice.  The parenting classes are based off of the Nurturing parenting curriculum which focuses on teaching parents a more nurtured way of raising their children.   One of the parent’s stated that, "After completing the parenting classes that they were able to listen to their children without judging them.  They felt like they would be able to develop a relationship with their child that they would have the confidence to confide in them about anything." Another parent stated that, "One of the most important things that they learned was how to establish guidelines and expectations with their ex-husband on how to discipline their children and how to determine who is allowed to watch or monitor their children when the parent is not around."  Sometimes your significant other, ex-husband or wife may have some friends that may have a negative influence on your children.  It is important that parents establish some guidelines on who they are allowed to spend time with and the behavior that is expected when they are around those individuals.  Parents have to establish those boundaries earlier on in the child's life while they are still learning how to interact with others.  It is also important to teach the children what is appropriate and what in inappropriate behavior around adults so that they know when to report any unwanted behaviors to their parents. 

In closing, the parenting program in Hardin County has expanded to reach a great number of families. Parents learn that their relationships with their children has to be their top priority.  By taking the parenting classes they develop skills to help them to strengthen their family bond.     It is the hope of the program that the parenting program will continue to touch the lives of the citizens of Hardin County.