Fatherhood Summit Session
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…
This infographic highlights fatherhood programs to demonstrate how to use data to learn about your program, identify areas for improvement, and set goals. Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for Justice Involved Individuals Seeking Employment(CBI-Emp) is a program designed to improve economic stability using cognitive behavioral techniques with fathers with recent involvement in the justice system and medium to high risk of reoffending. Just Beginning (JB) is a parenting program designed to enhance a father’s early relationship with his children. It is currently being implemented and…
The interest in fathers as active parents has increased dramatically over the past 30 years among researchers and the popular press with considerable attention given to direct child-rearing activities; however, mothers continue to be the most likely participants in early intervention (EI) services. Using thematic analysis, we explored providers’ perceptions (n = 511) of father involvement in EI regarding (a) the impact of increased father involvement, (b) how father involvement could be increased, and (c) the role of culture in father involvement. Providers believed more involvement was…
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Journal Article Research on the situated contexts of fathering has found that the social and symbolic dimensions of fathering spaces influence how men construct and enact fatherhood scripts. Qualitative studies of fatherhood programs have mostly investigated parenting education and job assistance programs, revealing how fathering interventions allow disadvantaged men to shape positive paternal identities. In‐depth interviews and focus groups were conducted with a nonrandom sample of 64 primarily Black and Latino low‐income fathers who participated in a federally funded responsible fatherhood program. An…
Fatherhood Summit Session
Success in fatherhood service provision goes beyond the use of a curriculum. It requires the ability to lead a team and to create and execute a programmatic vision. This session encouraged participants to assess their own leadership styles and evaluate their impact on programming. The session provided intentional leadership strategies to enhance programming. Presenters offered nine leadership principles that build trust and empower others in order to improve morale and productivity. They described how effective leadership builds program sustainability.
This tip card offers strategies on how to identify potential partners, communicate expectations, collaborate on shared topics of interests, and build effective partnerships. The strategies provided will help to create stronger agencies that can enhance funding applications and increase outcomes for the community.
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Journal Article Literature in developmental psychology suggests that mothers and fathers both play unique and important roles in their children’s development. However, research investigating the unique contributions and psychological functioning of fathers of youth with developmental disabilities, and the role that fathers play in effective intervention, remains limited. Whereas evidence suggests that parent-mediated interventions for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) can lead to increased engagement from parents, and reduced stress and psychopathology commonly experienced by parents of youth with…
This report, written by Wilder Research, a division of Amherst H. Wilder Foundation, outlines how to monetize the economic returns and avoided costs of outcomes typically associated with responsible fatherhood programs, plus additional potential, two-generation, long-term child development and family well-being outcomes of father engagement. It makes a strong economic case for investing in comprehensive responsible fatherhood programs, which would include GED programming, job placement services, diversion services as an alternative to incarceration, parenting education with play and learn…
Fatherhood Summit Session
Research has shown that fathers returning to their families and communities after incarceration often face multiple challenges, including lack of housing or employment, large child support debt, and complicated family relationships. This discussion will explore a variety of ways in which fatherhood programming can help returning fathers and their families overcome these challenges.
The panel includes a researcher, two practitioners, and a program participant who will highlight strategies for providing reentry services and support for returning fathers. Based on Urban Institute research,…
Webinar
Four presenters from three states answered the questions below and identified innovative practices states are utilizing to engage fathers in the 13th FRPN learning community webinar.
What are innovative state policies and practices to engage fathers in key family programs?
How are some child support agencies passing through more child support to families, adjusting orders for fathers with low incomes, engaging fathers to avoid court involvement and using debt forgiveness and driver’s license reinstatement to promote father engagement in workforce and parenting programs?
How are some…