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Early childhood is a critical period of development. Home visiting programs support a safe and nurturing environment for children by promoting positive parenting and school readiness and by reducing the risk of child maltreatment (Avellar & Supplee, 2013; Peacock et al, 2013). Evidence of their effectiveness in supporting positive child outcomes has propelled expansion of these programs in the United States (Shonkoff & Phillips, 2000; Michalopoulos et al, 2019). 

The purpose of this brief is to explore possible barriers to father engagement in home visiting programs,…

Besides their role as financial providers, fathers today are also recognized for their roles as caregivers, playmates, and nurturers. This is demonstrated by the growing research on the link between fathers’ involvement and children’s well-being, as well as the shifting focus and rigorous evaluation of programming designed to improve broad outcomes for fathers and their families. This research scan provides information on recent data with a focus on what fatherhood looks like today. (Author introduction modified)

This tip card offers dads guidance on how to support and encourage the growth and development of their school age children.

An NRFC team visited the Project Fatherhood program of Children’s Institute, Inc. (CII) in Los Angeles, California on March 20, 21, and 22, 2018. The team had the opportunity to talk with program staff, participants, graduates, and community partners. This NRFC Spotlight highlights aspects of Project Fatherhood that may be of interest to other fatherhood practitioners.

The mission of the child welfare system is to promote the well-being of children by providing services to families that need assistance in protecting and caring for their children. If a report of suspected child abuse or neglect is received, an initial assessment is conducted to determine whether protective services are needed. This may lead to the development of a plan to provide services and support the family in the home, or may result in the temporary placement of the child outside the home with relatives or a foster family. 

A large percentage of children who become…

Depression is one of the most common mental health issues in the United States. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, more than six million men in the United States have depression in a given year and studies indicate that at least 10 percent of fathers are depressed both before and after their children are born. This brief provides an overview of previous research about men and depression, identifies factors associated with fathers’ risk of depression during the first year of their child’s life, and offers tips on how fatherhood programs can help fathers identify and…

This Webinar discusses domestic violence programs specifically for fatherhood programs in terms of batterers prevention and intervention services. (Author abstract)

Por diversas razones, muchos padres no ven a sus hijos con regularidad. Como resultado, a menudo tienen que redefinir sus funciones y responsabilidades como padre. Los padres encarcelados tienen dificultades extraordinarias para seguir el desarrollo y las actividades de sus hijos. Sin embargo, los padres encarcelados de todo el país están mejorando la calidad de sus relaciones con sus hijos simplemente empezando con un poco de inspiración, mezclando algo de imaginación y añadiendo mucho amor. Este Spotlight destaca varias formas creativas que los padres encarcelados han utilizado para…

This fact sheet provides statistics from various years on incarcerated parents including estimated number of state and federal prisoners with minor children, by gender; percent of state and federal male prisoners with minor children; minor children with a parent in prison by race/ethnicity; and living arrangements for children with parents in state prisons. Also provided are statistics on frequency of contact (phone, mails, personal visits) with children for parents in state prisons; frequency of telephone, mail, and personal contacts with children for parents in state prisons; age…