This chapter focuses on the barriers that make it difficult for fathers from minority ethnic backgrounds to engage in family support services. It explains the benefits of father involvement in early child development, reviews legal provisions that tackle institutional racism and demand inclusion, and describes approaches for including fathers from minority ethnic backgrounds.
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Journal Article This article describes how an alliance with STRONG Fathers and Casey Family Programs has allowed Maine to develop and implement a unified approach to improve the manner in which Maine's Department of Health and Human Services interacts with fathers. The impact of the 2012 New England Fathering Conference in re-energizing Maine staff is also highlighted.
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Journal Article Fathers' involvement in child protection processes appears to remain low and is problematic given their influence over the lives and wellbeing of their children and partners. Men's views need to be taken into account, as part of consideration of risk and the meaning of their participation for others in the family. While the risk or presence of abuse may necessarily limit how the participation of a father is managed in case conferences, and needs to be explored and challenged, in most cases it does not justify failing to contact or seeking to involve fathers. Involving fathers is crucial to…
Brief
This issue brief notes recent research that provides strong evidence for the inclusion of fathers in the home visiting process and indicates including fathers in home visiting programs is not only good for young children, it is an opportunity to positively impact the health and well-being of new fathers. The economic, social and emotional development, cognitive development, and academic achievement benefits for children when they have involved fathers are reviewed, as well as the role of fathers in modeling positive adult relationships. Strategies home visiting programs can use to promote the…
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Journal Article In 2011, the California Department of Social Services, Office of Child Abuse Prevention (OCAP), commissioned an assessment to gauge the state of the child abuse prevention and early intervention field in California. The assessment, coordinated by Strategies, sought to determine the extent to which three evidence-informed frameworks are integrated in the understanding, planning, and practices of county child welfare agencies and their community partners. The assessment will assist OCAP in implementing Strengthening Families and in supporting counties with the integration of prevention plans…
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Journal Article This qualitative study explored 18 high-risk adolescent Latinas' perceptions of their relationships with nonresident fathers. A number of interrelated factors -- early childhood memories, mothers' interpretations, and fathers' behaviors -- shaped girls' perceptions, which in turn, influenced how they interacted with fathers. Some girls struggled to make sense of fathers' diminished involvement and continued to long for them. Others grew angry and refused to have anything to do with hostile and aggressive fathers. Some girls never knew or did not remember their fathers, and they were largely…
Brief
To promote a more coordinated approach to meeting children's developmental needs, this brief proposes the adoption of the SERIES paradigm of developmental screening in which each step -- Screening, Early Identification, Referral, Intake, Evaluation, and Services -- is seen not as an isolated activity, but rather an integral component of a single process. SERIES challenges all systems serving young children to broaden their focus to include practices that promote shared responsibility for ensuring that each child successfully completes the entire pathway from screening to services. This brief…
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Journal Article Over the last two decades there has been an increased societal and academic interest in the role of fathers, as well as promoting responsible fatherhood in families and communities. In turn, this interest has given rise to an increasing number of fatherhood interventions. Although many programs to support fatherhood exist, they often differ in terms of their goals, target populations, designs, methods of implementation and assessment. This article reviews key evaluation findings from fatherhood programs that have been rigorously evaluated (i.e., used random assignment design) in order to…
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Journal Article This article presents research results concerning the relationships young fathers have with social service organizations, in particular, those which offer assistance specifically tailored to young fathers' needs or those responsible for child and youth protection. These results are drawn from a broader qualitative study in which interview and focus-group data were collected from fathers who had had a child at an early age. A literature review first provides an overview of various facets of the experience of young fathers and of the services they need. The literature and the voices of young…
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Journal Article Responsible, involved fathers are integral to the wellbeing of their children, families, and communities. The Milwaukee Fatherhood Initiative (MFI) was founded with the goal of fostering multi-sectoral collaboration able to support and sustain the efforts of fathers and the organizations invested in their wellbeing. This article demonstrates how the MFI formed mutually beneficial community-based partnerships toward this end. Partner roles, accomplishments, strategies for sustainability, and recommendations applicable to forming initiatives in other communities are also provided. (Author…
