NRFC Quick Statistics and Research Reviews, Brief
This research brief covers the different stages of child development and highlights the impact resident fathers have on each stage of child development. This brief stresses the importance of positive father to child interactions. Resident fathers who demonstrate more sensitivity toward their children are shown to have a positive impact on the cognitive development of infants & toddlers (0-2) and early childhood (2-6) stages of development. This brief also discusses how resident fathers’ positive emotional involvement correlates to healthy socioemotional development in middle childhood…
NRFC Quick Statistics and Research Reviews, Brief
This research brief covers the different stages of child development and highlights the impact non-resident fathers have on each stage of child development. This brief shows the correlation between a father’s regular presence in a child’s life and healthy cognitive development in infants & toddlers (0-2) and early childhood (2-6). Social development and academic performance are shown to be negatively impacted by the lack of fatherhood involvement in the older childhood development stages of middle childhood (7-10), early adolescence (11-14), and late adolescence (15-18). Regular and…
Brief
The purpose of this brief is to highlight for the child welfare field the evidence-building lessons learned from the evaluation of Success Coach, a post-reunification program developed by Catawba County, North Carolina. This evidence building began in 2013 with an evaluation of the Success Coach program’s process and preliminary outcomes. Child Trends collaborated on a series of briefs highlighting lessons learned from this initial work, and then designed a more rigorous outcome and implementation evaluation of the program. In this brief we describe the background and development of…
Brief
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.
This tip card offers guidance to fatherhood practitioners who are facilitating groups. Participation in peer learning and support groups is a key ingredient of many fatherhoodprograms. When done effectively, group sessions can be the “glue” that keeps men involved in a wider program and leadsto powerful life changes for them and their families.
Brief
Low-income families face significant challenges navigating both low-wage employment or education and training programs and also finding good-quality child care. Programs that intentionally combine services for parents and children can help families move toward economic security and create conditions that promote child and family well-being. Although these programs in general are not new (see Background), policymakers and program leaders are now experimenting with innovative approaches to combining services. Yet, most currently operating programs, sometimes called “two-generation” or “dual…
This fact sheet defines whole family approaches, as well as the rationale behind them. It also describes the types of services offered by whole family programs.
This fact sheet explains South Dakota allows childhood immunization exemptions based on religious belief, but is only one of 31 that do not allow philosophical exemptions. Minimum immunization requirements for entering school or an early childhood program in South Dakota are then reviewed, and research on the effectiveness of vaccinations is shared. Charts are included that illustrate South Dakota and the nation had a 93% rate of polio immunization in 2012, South Dakota trails the surrounding States in any vaccination, and that South Dakota and Wyoming are tied for the lowest percentage of…
Brief
This brief is a resource for human service professionals on child safety and risk assessments in AI/AN communities. It is informed by the work of the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) with tribal child welfare professionals and by concerns in the field about the effectiveness of standard assessments in tribal communities. A majority of the tribal organizations that received ACF grants in 2011 to coordinate Tribal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and child welfare services (9 of 14 grantees) used safety and risk assessments in their practice (Ahonen et al., 2016).…
Brief
Reading is an essential activity that is linked to children’s cognitive development, academic skills, and future employment opportunities. Children often become interested in reading by watching and mimicking their parents or participating in child-parent reading routines. Although mothers have a big role to play, research shows that fathers are particularly influential for children’s language and literacy development, which means they are a promising point of intervention for efforts to improve children’s language and literacy. Reading together and engaging in other literacy activities,…
