This paper deals with mandatory divorce counseling. In case the parents have minor children, in order to protect the interests of the child, the legislator introduced mandatory counseling before divorce. This applies both in the case of a consensual divorce and in the case of a divorce by filing a lawsuit. The main goal of mandatory counseling is to compile the Plan for Joint Parental Care. Mandatory counseling before divorce is conducted in the social welfare center within a maximum of three meetings attended by the parties and members of the professional team of the center. In the case of reaching an agreement, in the Plan for Joint Parental Care, the spouses proceed to the submission of a proposal for a consensual divorce, which should be accompanied by a report on compulsory counseling and the Plan. In the event that the spouses have failed to reach an agreement, they approach the family mediation procedure, which is basically another attempt to reach an agreement on parental care. It is also possible that even after family mediation, the Plan for Joint Parental Care will not be adopted. The decision on issues related to parental care will then be made by the Court in divorce proceedings, taking into account reports from mandatory counseling and mediation and important circumstances for the life and development of the child.