For incarcerated fathers, prison rather than work mediates access to their families. Prison rules and staff regulate phone privileges, access to writing materials, and visits. Perhaps even more important are the ways in which the penal system shapes men’s gender performances. Incarcerated men must negotiate how they will enact violence and aggression, both in terms of the expectations placed upon inmates by the prison system and in terms of their own responses to these expectations. Additionally, the relationships between incarcerated men and the mothers of their children change,…
How ancient is father care of human infants and young children, and why did it emerge? Is it possible that father care arose among the ancestors of modern humans and became essential for survival? Or is it a recent, though variable, development? Is father care an evolved trait of Homo sapiens or is it a learned cultural behavior transmitted across generations in some societies but not others? In this important study, Frank L’Engle Williams examines the anthropological record for evidence of the social behaviors associated with paternity, suggesting that ample evidence exists for the…
Successful Strategies for Recruiting, Training, and Utilizing Volunteers is a guidance handbook designed for community groups and faith-based organizations seeking to maximize the skills of their volunteers, expand their services to the community, and enhance their effectiveness. Although the handbook focuses on prevention, treatment, and recovery services for substance abuse and mental illness, the principles described in the handbook can be applied to any field and should help organizations understand how to implement and manage a successful volunteer program.
The five chapters…
Across the political spectrum, unwed fatherhood is denounced as one of the leading social problems of today. Doing the Best I Can is a strikingly rich, paradigm-shifting look at fatherhood among inner-city men often dismissed as “deadbeat dads.” Kathryn Edin and Timothy J. Nelson examine how couples in challenging straits come together and get pregnant so quickly—without planning. The authors chronicle the high hopes for forging lasting family bonds that pregnancy inspires, and pinpoint the fatal flaws that often lead to the relationship’s demise. They offer keen insight into a radical…
In this report originally appear as a chapter in the book "Unequal Family Lives: Causes and Consequences in Europe and America" published by Cambridge University Press, Richard Reeves argues that we should care about family gaps because we care about poverty and inequality, and because we care about intergenerational mobility. Policy interventions may influence both of these, but more often aim at one more than the other. He argues for policies of two kinds with regard to family stability, applicable to the United States and most European countries: Prevention and mitigation. Preventing…
This ebook introduces you to a book that has the potential to help you have even more impact in your work with dads. The book is called The Power of Moments: Why Certain Experiences Have Extraordinary Impact. Written by brothers Chip Heath and Dan Heath, the New York Times Bestseller draws on research about how to create meaningful, memorable experiences in the lives of individuals— others’ and even your own. The Heath’s point to four ways to create such experiences, what they call “defining moments”: 1. Elevation 2. Insight 3. Pride 4. Connection. A key concept to remember is that a…
Working with young men in groups can be a valuable way to create space for young men to focus on their identities as fathers. However, group work can be challenging to initiate and sustain. Community groups for young men who are fathers are quite resource intensive, which may pose challenges to the third-sector groups who run them, particularly as state provision is rolled back and the third sector is being required to enter that space. Skilled workers are integral to group work where positive role models need to be carefully facilitated and toxic aspects of masculinity challenged. This…
A father will always play a vital role in a child's growing years, especially sons. His absence or presence in the child's life will have a profound impact in the future. In Black Fathers Black Sons, author Ray Waters delves into the relationships of African-American men and reveals new insights that will fuel debate and debunk many myths. (Author abstract)
This booklet features articles written by parents with experience navigating the child welfare system. Topics addressed include peer support, visiting, legal representation, relationships with foster parents, parenting classes, fathers’ rights, addiction and recovery, domestic violence, and reunification. (Author abstract modified)
This chapter draws upon 14 years of related ethnographic studies to uncover the principal features that characterize family life among the poor. Experiences dealing with multiple agencies are discussed, as well as experiences dealing with health problems in the context of the U.S. medical care system, and the aftermaths of household emergencies. 34 references.
