Although the 1998 welfare reform law supported the promotion of marriage to reduce poverty, most initiatives have dedicated resources to employment programs for mothers. This chapter describes how marriage can improve child well-being by increasing family income and facilitating relationships between fathers and their children. Lessons learned from programs such as Parents' Fair Share and the Fragile Families Initiative have demonstrated the importance of activities that encourage marital stability and paternal social and emotional involvement at an early age. However, policies must address…
A survey of the fifty States and the District of Columbia on fatherhood initiatives identified 31 commissions, initiatives, and programs, 3 of which were inactive. This report provides a State-by-State profile of the different initiatives. The profiles include information on the development of the program, the mission, duties and responsibilities, meetings and reporting requirements, agency contact, and activities to date. Findings from the survey indicate several States reported that administration and implementation of all, or at least part, of their fatherhood activities were contracted to…
Despite increasing recognition of the role of fathers in the lives of their children, home visitors and child protection workers usually perceive men to be the source of problems and do not include them in their interventions with vulnerable children. Social work tends to marginalize fathers and avoid assessing their risks or benefits to the family. This book outlines theoretical justifications for the engagement of fathers in child protection work and suggests relevant practice strategies. Important concepts from attachment theory, feminist theory, and nursing theory are highlighted. The…
