Library Search

This resource provides many links to selected articles, programs, and resources that focus on engaging and supporting Native fathers.

This tip card offers strategies for fatherhood practitioners to increase program attendance and retention and effective practices to foster father engagement.

One of the goals of fatherhood programming is to improve the lives of children by enhancing fathers’ emotional and financial support and encouraging healthy family dynamics. Programs do this through a focus on child development and appropriate parenting skills, the value of fathers’ positive engagement with their children, and the provision of connections to social support systems for fathers. However, rural fatherhood programs may need to address these topics in unique and creative ways due to some of the practical challenges of providing services in rural areas.

One way to strengthen Hispanic families and give hope to our society is to promote healthy relationships among couples and make marriage a priority. It is very important to develop a campaign in which the male figure in Hispanic families is motivated to engage in his relationship with his wife and children. Hispanic men need to understand (and be convinced) that they are not just providers, but their involvement is vital to the education and well-being of their children's lives. The following tips were compiled by a program dedicated to serving low-income and migrant working families in…

Since 1965, the guiding principle of Head Start has been to ensure every child enters school physically, emotionally, and intellectually prepared to begin formal learning. In the program's inaugural year, Head Start provided services to 561,000 children. Currently, Head Start provides services to more than 900,000 children each year, building on its legacy of having served more than 22 million children.Head Start is a family-focused program that helps mothers and fathers understand and appreciate the vital and unique roles they play in their children's healthy development. Nevertheless,…

Recruitment can be the hardest part of organizing a fatherhood group connection program. If your recruitment and retention efforts are successful, eventually your clients and former participants will make this task easier, but starting from scratch is a challenge. Putting in legwork before and after group connections is crucial to establishing a successful program. Well-planned events and personalized follow-up can help capture fathers' full attention and keep them engaged. (Author abstract)

Involvement in fatherhood programs has been found to be associated with increases in fathers' empathy, improvements in family relationships, and increases in fathers' involvement with their children. In addition, fatherhood programs can improve fathers' self-confidence and involvement in work, as well as encourage them to build social relationships. However, if fathers are not effectively recruited into programs, then they cannot reap these program benefits. This brief presents several strategies that can be used by program practitioners to recruit fathers into programs. (Author abstract…