Fathers who are active in their child's life will have a tremendous effect on their child's development- both cognitively and socially. Having the experience of two involved parents adds variety and dimension to the child's experience of the world. Researchers stress that parents must be actively and positively involved in their child's life to contribute to the healthy development of their child. This brief takes a look at what scientists believe fathers add to their child's development in a unique and important way. (Author abstract, modified).
Unpublished Paper
The Fragile Families and Child Well-being Study is designed to collect information about the men who father children outside marriage and the nature of their relationships with their children and their children's mothers. The research will follow a new birth cohort of approximately 4,700 children, including 3,600 children born to unmarried parents representative of nonmarital births in each of 20 cities and in U.S. cities with populations over 200,000. Both mothers and fathers will be followed for at least 4 years, and in-home assessments of children's health and development will be carried…
Unpublished Paper
Strict criminal justice policies, such as long-term sentences, are interfering in the achievement of welfare reform goals to promote marriage and parental involvement. This report analyzes data from the Fragile Families Study to examine the impact of criminal justice policies on the likelihood that unwed parents will form a family together. A total of 3,600 unwed couples and 1,100 married couples are being interviewed at the time of their child's birth and five one-year intervals. Study participants are being recruited from 20 cities with different welfare regimes and labor markets.…
Fathers play a critical role in the development of their children; however, many fathers are uncertain about the responsibilities and privileges associated with this role. Children need fathers who love and care for them on a consistent basis. The latest research indicates that fathers who are actively involved in raising their children can make a positive and lasting difference in their lives. In contrast, this same research reveals a number of potentially negative outcomes for children whose fathers are not involved. This list contains 20 reasons why a father needs to be an active…
As parents, fathers have a unique opportunity to shape the lives of their children. Numerous factors contribute to a child's growth and development; however, among the most important are the daily interactions that take place between a father and child. Communication processes lie at the heart of these daily interactions. Fathers, husbands, and men in general, are often portrayed as not being good communicators, yet it is obvious that fathers are capable of communicating effectively with their children. Being an effective communicator, especially with young children, requires patience,…
What constitutes responsible fatherhood? Responsible fatherhood cannot be proven with a blood test, nor does it consist of simply providing a paycheck. Responsible fatherhood cannot be reduced to a single dimension. It involves commitment, self-sacrifice, integrity, and unconditional love. Responsible fathers are concerned with the well-being of their children, and their desire is to see their children succeed in all areas of life. This fact sheet provides a description of the framework developed by Ken Canfield, President of the National Center for Fathering, that summarizes the growing body…
This fact sheet provides a description of the characteristics that make fathers not only essential to the healthy growth and development of their children but also essential partners who share parenting with the mother of their children.
This fact sheet discusses the transition men make as they accept becoming a father and their unique development as fathers during the first two years of fatherhood. Topics include The Father's Self-concept and Self-esteem, Mother/Father Roles and Communication, Parenting Attitudes and Stress, Father's Changing Relationship with His Parents, and Support and Stress in the Community.
Designed for policymakers, this fact sheet discusses the characteristics of incarcerated fathers, the impact of a father's incarceration on his ability to pay child support, and strategies that can be implemented to modify child support obligations and to support father-child relationships. Answers to questions concerning incarcerated fathers and relationships with their children are also provided.
The timing is right--states and communities have unprecedented opportunities to invest in services and develop policies that help low-income fathers become the emotional and financial providers that their children need and deserve. Research has underscored theimportance of fathers in child development. Children with involved fathers are less likely to become teen parents, be involved with the juvenile justice systemand are more likely to perform better in school. However, recent reforms in welfare and child support have focused almost exclusively on helping mothersmove off welfare, without…
