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Training Materials This interactive curriculum was developed by Parents as Teachers National Center. The 12 sections of Focus on Fathering target child development, connecting with your child, parenting apart, healthy relationships, and more. Each section contains goals, activities, discussion points, materials, and procedures and guidance for practitioners working with the families involved.
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…
How To Raise Emotionally Healthy Children is a wake-up call to America that we are abandoning our children emotionally. Failure to support our children's emotional health at home and in schools is jeopardizing their future and that of our nation. The book has a compelling and provocative message about parent-child relations. It provides powerful and practical concepts and tools that enable parents, teachers, and childcare providers to interact with children and with each other in emotionally healthy ways. In the process, children learn to interact with each other in the same way. How to Raise…
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Journal Article Using a sample of resident fathers in the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study--Birth Cohort (9-month Father Study), this study examined how father involvement is associated with infant cognitive outcomes in two domains (babbling and exploring objects with a purpose). Results from a series of logistic regression models indicate that varied aspects of father involvement (cognitively stimulating activities, physical care, paternal warmth, and caregiving activities) are associated with a lower likelihood of infant cognitive delay. Two-way interaction models further indicate that father involvement…
Drs. Sampson Davis, George Jenkins, and Rameck Hunt discovered early in their friendship that they shared a disturbing trait: As children, they navigated dangerous inner-city life without a father's guidance. They escaped deilinquency and crime to form the Pact, dedicated to putting themselves on the road to success. Now, the Three Doctors make a new promise: to set aside their resentment, find their fathers, and rebuild relationships with men they barely recognize. Told in voices alternating between father and son, The Bond explores the hard lessons of growing up without a father, and…
This chapter discusses the adverse effects of parental incarceration on children and the types of stressors children experience because of their parent’s arrest and imprisonment. The chapter concludes by identifying some protective factors that may promote resilience in children with an imprisoned parent. (Author abstract)
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Research Connections conducted a comprehensive search of its collection for resources focused on father involvement in early childhood programs. This Key Topic Resource List includes an overview of the topic and listing of selected resources. While research on this topic is still emerging, resources of various types including reports and papers, fact sheets and briefs, summaries, and reviews are included. (Author abstract)
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Journal Article This article is a review of research on fathering and research on men employed in work with young children in centers and in elementary schools, which emphasizes the importance of positive male engagement with young children for their optimal development. Research also reveals the complexity of studying these relationships and the barriers in families and in society that impede the implementation of positive interactions. Suggestions are given for increasing positive male participation in the home and in educational settings. (Author abstract modified)
Note: This article is part of…
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Journal Article Father involvement in early childhood programs (ECPs) has increased rapidly during the past 10-15 years. This review of the authors' understanding of the current state of father involvement in ECPs employs two theoretical frameworks: ecological perspective and situated fathering. They draw from the research and practice literature to understand the current levels of father involvement in early education programs, the factors that support this type of father involvement, the barriers to father involvement, and strategies for increasing father involvement in ECPs. Recommendations for future…
