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NRFC 2023 Virtual Event

Music brings people together, touching the heart and igniting the spirit. It is an essential part of many families’ lives, connecting generations and communities. This interactive session will harness the power of music—and innate ability—as participants collectively create a theme song for the National Fatherhood Summit.

Through the process of story and song, participants were invited to share common interests, goals, and concerns as they worked together turning ideas into lyrics and lyrics into an inspired, family-focused song about fanning the fatherhood fire!

Led by…

Lynn Johnson is the Trump Administration’s top human services official in charge of fostering the well-being of families, children, individuals, and communities. In this session, Assistant Secretary Johnson shared her vision for engaging in cross-sector efforts to influence and strengthen America’s cultural perspective on the essential role that fathers play in the lives of their children, families, communities, and society.

ACF designed this Summit to provide practical skills-building and peer-learning sessions. ACF leaders were also interested in learning how they can collaborate with Summit participants in support of fathers and their families across the country. The “Get FIREd Up” journal was designed to facilitate the learning process and to generate reflections on how ACF and other local, state, and national organizations can work together to advance Family-focused and Interconnected services that cultivate Resilience and embrace the Essential role of fathers. Throughout the three days, participants were…

Participants had the chance to kick up their feet and feel a father’s heart beat in this session designed to inspire, challenge, and warm hearts. A “Dad Cave” format set the stage for an invigorating, insightful, and personal conversation with four ACF program fathers (and their kids) who shared both the challenges and triumphs of being a dad. They explored what matters most to them as fathers—for themselves, their children and families, and their communities. The panel described structured father engagement activities, such as parenting education and employment skills development. Panel…

Many federal agencies engage with fathers and families at some level in their service provision. This session highlighted the government’s function as a catalyst to shape the American cultural perspective of the essential role of fathers in the family and in society.

This panel of federal agency officials discussed father engagement efforts within the context of each agency’s mission and goals. They described family-focused approaches that incorporate the perspective of fathers as equal contributors to healthy families and community stabilization.

This dynamic action planning session provided a forum for discussing individual and collaborative initiatives that can advance Family-focused and Interconnected services that cultivate Resilience and embrace the Essential role of fathers. This session included staggered time periods for participants to have lunch.

Family services programs are also in the business of serving fathers. How can they become more father friendly? This session drew on the National Responsible Fatherhood Clearinghouse’s (NRFC) Responsible Fatherhood Toolkit: Resources from the Field and the shared experiences of participants. The workshop explored the most effective ways to recruit and engage fathers to improve outcomes for families and children. Presenters focused on hiring, training, and supporting staff, conducting successful outreach and recruitment, and delivering effective services. The presenters also shared tips…

Many in the fatherhood field are unaware of a helpful bank of information and support available at their fingertips. This session explored the many resources provided by the National Responsible Fatherhood Clearinghouse (NRFC). Participants took a guided tour of the Fatherhood.gov website to learn about ready-to-use materials, such as the Responsible Fatherhood Toolkit and an extensive library. The presenter also provided an overview of the NRFC’s national fatherhood call center and NRFC social media platforms, which post breaking news and trends for fathers and practitioners. Participants…

A boy crisis, fueled by dad deprivation, is expanding in the 63 largest developed nations. Research shows that on average, dad-deprived boys (and girls) do worse in every academic subject and in “failure to launch.” Dad-deprived boys are more likely to have poor mental health, abuse substances, and attempt suicide.

Dr. Farrell presented the case that dad-deprived boys experience both a “dad void” and a “purpose void.” He offered solutions in the spheres of family, school, and government. He also explored why addressing the boy crisis is key to the nation’s economic security and to…