Brief
Low-income families face significant challenges navigating both low-wage employment or education and training programs and also finding good-quality child care. Programs that intentionally combine services for parents and children can help families move toward economic security and create conditions that promote child and family well-being. Although these programs in general are not new (see Background), policymakers and program leaders are now experimenting with innovative approaches to combining services. Yet, most currently operating programs, sometimes called “two-generation” or “dual…
Brief
This brief explores in-depth interviews with low-income fathers enrolled in responsible fatherhood programs about their experiences with the child support system. The brief explores three main themes: 1) The challenge that economic instability poses to fathers in meeting their child support obligations; 2) Fathers’ experiences requesting modifications to make child support obligations align better with their income; and 3) Fathers’ views of the disconnection between paying child support and having access to their children. (Author abstract)
Brief
This brief draws on information from two rounds of in-depth interviews to describe the views and experiences of fathers in financially supporting their children. To establish an understanding of the fathers who participated in this data collection, the brief begins with an overview of their background characteristics, drawn from a survey administered at program enrollment. It then focuses on three themes that emerged during the in-depth interviews with fathers who had child support orders: (1) the challenge that economic instability posed to meeting their child support obligations; (2) their…
Brief
This brief explores fathers’ social support networks to learn about the size and composition of their family and friendship ties, the types of support they get through these connections, and the types of organizations from which the fathers receive services. (Author abstract)
