Bronx Community College (BCC) offers continuing education courses for parents who want to become more effective in their parenting skills. Parents learn how to cope with the stress of parenting and hone the skills required to raise balanced, well-rounded children. At BCC, these classes are free to those who are already enrolled in BCC as students, and they are offered to the general public at minimal charge. The Harvard trained course instructor in 2011, John Skardina, says this about his class: "Learn to be the parent you always wished you could be and celebrate yourself and your children more and more each day."
Some reputable community organizations combine their energies with local colleges to provide high quality parenting education. In Troy, New York, the Big Brothers Big Sisters organization hosts a parenting class, which is recommended by the Department of Social Services, on local community college campuses. By combining their energy and experience, these organizations leverage their limited resources to reach a wider population with high quality parenting information.
Syracuse University in Syracuse, New York offers a full degree program focused on child and family development. The College of Human Ecology at Syracuse has formal coursework for both the Bachelor of Science (B.S.), Master of Arts (M.A.), Master of Science (M.S.), and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degrees in child and family development. Students who earn these degrees gain a broad knowledge of issues that influence child development and the family unit as a whole. These programs prepare students for careers that work closely with children and families, such as public agencies like the local Department of Health and Human Services, and public or private counseling practices. NYU has a similar degree program.
Parsons Child and Family Center is the largest agency in New York's Capital Region dedicated to helping families, children and the community at large with educational services. The agency provides counseling, parent education and classes for child abuse prevention and treatment. Families are strengthened by participation with Parsons, and they can participate in a full range of education on topics ranging from early childhood, special education, youth development programs, and family mental health services. While many organizations like this exist, Parsons is one of the few that is licensed by the NYS Education Department and the Offices of Children and Family Services and Mental Health. While this organization is not a formal college, the quality of their classes and commitment to educate and train the public regarding parenting is recognized by their state licenses.