This Best Practices Tool-Kit aims to systematically identify empirical evidence regarding prison programs and practices for incarcerated parents and their children. It highlights several practices and program strategies that are proven, promising or exemplary best practices and provides references for more extensive reading, if desired. The objective of the tool kit is to offer a sound evidence base that will better inform policymakers, practitioners and researchers on prison programs and practices geared toward building the parental skills of incarcerated parents. (Author abstract)
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Journal Article Using longitudinal data from a sample of 451 families with a child in eighth grade at the time of study, three research questions have been addressed: First, the study explored the ways in which mothers and fathers differ with regard to four parenting styles. Second, the study examined the manner in which individual parenting styles combine to form family parenting styles. Finally, the study investigated the extent to which these various styles are related to delinquency, depression, and school commitment for adolescents. Regardless of reporter, the most common family parenting styles are…
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Journal Article This paper highlights a number of promising services and supports for incarcerated parents and recommends what attorneys representing or working with incarcerated parents and their children can do to minimize harm to children. (Author abstract)
The role of noncustodial fathers in the lives of low-income families has received considerable attention from policymakers and programs in recent years. While child support enforcement efforts have increased dramatically in recent years, there is evidence that many low-income fathers cannot afford to support their children financially without impoverishing themselves or their families. To address these complex issues, a number of initiatives have focused on developing services to help low-income fathers become more financially and emotionally involved with their families, and to help young…
This chapter challenges the deficiency mindset about fathers' involvement in parent education, discusses issues related to supporting fathers through educational programs, and suggests a series of best practices for implementing parenting programs. Recommended practices include promoting awareness of educational programs, utilizing a strength-based approach, and defining a clear, mal-friendly focus for the educational effort. 16 references.
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Father involvement is critical for your Parents as Teachers program in many ways. First, both fathers and mothers bring unique skills to the parenting process and, collectively, enhance the development of their children. Second, by helping dads become more involved, responsible, and committed, they will be more likely to get involved in your program's personal visits, screenings, and group meetings thus providing greater support for their child's development. This tool will help you assess the degree to which your organization's operations encourage father involvement in the activities…
This paper provides an overview of the way that men approach parenting and the effects that their involvement has on their children's development. The report includes research on child development outcomes; father absence; men's development; co-parental relationships; non-residential fathers; fathers, work, and family; and measures of father involvement. (Author abstract)
