An Innovative Approach to Improving Father-Child Relationships for Fathers who are Noncompliant with Child Support Payments: A Mixed Methods Evaluation.

Mixed methods were used to evaluate the effectiveness of the Fathers Offering Children Unfailing Support (FOCUS) program. FOCUS is a diversion program which is designed to offer an alternative to incarceration for fathers who are noncompliant with child support payments. Quantitative data were collected through a pretest/posttest design (n = 55) and qualitative data were collected through telephone interviews with FOCUS instructors (n = 2) and community key stakeholders (n = 5) and focus groups with FOCUS participants (n = 76). FOCUS appears to be benefiting children by increasing their fathers’ emotional support, strengthening co-parenting relationships, and promoting their fathers’ parenting skills. (Author abstract)