Terry Wolfgram
Fatherhood Educational Specialist
Healthy Families – Green Bay
Which of the following areas is you/your
organization interested in working on?
Helping moms engage dads in the lives of their
children
Helping moms improve relationship with
children’s dad(s)
What barriers, if any, do you and/or your staff face in
encouraging moms to involve dads in their children’s lives?
Check all that apply. (multiple answer select)
Staff do not value engaging dads (e.g. just extra work)
Uncomfortable/unequipped to discuss dads’ involvement
Concerned re: abusive relationships (dads/moms,
dads/child)
Lack resources (training,budget)to help moms involve
dads
We don’t have any barriers
What barriers, if any, do you and/or your staff face in
relationships between moms and dads for the sake of
their children? Check all that apply. (multiple answer
select)
Moms are defensive/angry about their relationships with
Dads
Moms don’t think dad is important to raising their
children
History of abuse in their relationship (or dad w/children)
Little or no contact with dad/don’t know who the father
is
No barriers regarding relationships between moms/dads
Is there a Fatherhood Educator on staff?
Does staff engage with dad during
home visits?
Are the assessment materials used in
the home visit dad inclusive?
Does your organization have father
friendly handouts, brochures, posters
on-site?
NFI is a non-profit, non-partisan
organization that was founded 1994 to
begin a society-wide movement to renew
fatherhood in America.
National Fatherhood Initiative
conducted a survey asking mothers
and fathers, is there a father absence
crisis in America?
93% of moms and 91% of dads agree there is
father absence crisis.
2006 NFI Fathering Attitudes Survey sample: 701 individuals were included in the survey,
ages ranging from 18 to 68 years old.
In 1960, less than 8 million children were living
in families where the father was absent.
According to 2011 U.S. Census Bureau data, it’s
now well over 24 million. That is 1 out of every
3 children in America.
Nearly 2 in 3 (64%) African American children
live in father-absent homes.
One in three (34%) Hispanic children and 1in 4
(25%) white.
63% of youth suicides are from fatherless
homes (Source: U.S. D.H.H.S. Bureau of Census)
90% of all homeless and runaway children are
from fatherless homes
85% of all children that exhibit behavioral
disorders come from fatherless homes (Source:
Center Disease Control)
80% of rapists motivated with displaced anger
come from fatherless homes (Source Criminal
Justice & Behavior, Vol 14, p. 403-26 1978)
71% of all high school dropouts come from
fatherless homes (Source: National Principles
Association Report on the State of High
Schools.)
75% of all adolescent patients in chemical abuse
centers come from fatherless homes (Source:
Rainbows for all God’s Children.)
Infants cope better with strangers when fathers
have been a primary care giver.
Children with a strong attachment to mother
and father are more likely to form successful
adult relationships.
Infants learn to deal better with a variety of
people and personalities when they experience
the different touch, vocal patterns, and play
styles of a father.
Different types of play by fathers stimulate
connections in the baby’s brain.
Boys with nurturing fathers are more likely to
grow up self-confident, academically successful,
generous, and compassionate.
Boys are especially likely to be readers if their
fathers read to them.
Girls with respectful nurturing fathers tend to
be gender-confident and relate well to boys and
men in their teen and adult years.
(Resource: Howe Neighborhood Family Resource Center Newsletter Vol. 1, Issue 1 2010)
Another survey question asked
by NFI: Are dads replaceable?
55% moms agree fathers are replaceable
66% moms agree fathers are replaceable by other males.
2008 NFI Mama Says Survey sample: 1,533 America mothers with children under 18 who
were themselves at least 18 years old. Racial make up 69% White, 21% African American,
11% other.
Based on the previous slide, what
does this statistic tell us?
Based on the previous slide, what
does this statistic tell us?
This is a significant starting point in
engaging fathers.
This is a significant starting point in
engaging fathers.
Promoting Fathers’ Engagement With Children:
Preventive Interventions for Low-Income Families
Co-authored a study of 289 couples, low income
families, followed for 18 months, 16 week
groups for fathers, 16 weeks for couples, and 1
time informational meeting.
Promoting Fathers’ Engagement With Children:
Preventive Interventions for Low-Income Families
“…the single most powerful predictor of fathers’
engagement with their children is the quality of
the men’s relationship with the child’s mother,
regardless of whether the couple is married,
divorced, separated, or never married.”
Gateway: an opening to a main
entrance or exit way.
Gatekeeper: a person who controls
access.
Refers to a mother’s protective beliefs about the
desirability of a father’s involvement in their
child’s life, and the behaviors acted upon that
either facilitate or hinder collaborative
childbearing between parents.
How the mother speaks about the father in the
presence of their child.
To what extent the father is included or updated
on the child health, schooling or social life.
The extent to which the mother communicates
to the father that she knows what is best for
their child and the correct way to do thingswhile he does not.
History – Assessment using Childhood
Experiences Survey asking dad
DV/substance abuse
Mental illness
Homeless
Violent crime
Our Fatherhood Program started in 2012,
using a 3 pronged approach:
Our Home Visitation Program - Our Assessment Team refers a family that has an
involved dad. That involvement is; seeking a dad who is ready, willing and able
providing support for his family. I’ll team up with a Family Support Worker on weekly
home visits, not just focusing on the dad but the entire family.
Conscious Fathering in the Community - Healthy Families offers a free Conscious
Fathering class for new and expectant fathers to discuss and practice the skills needed
to nurture and care for their baby. We’ve been getting referrals through our
Assessment Team and from our local hospitals. After completing the 1.5 hour
Conscious Fathering Class I’ll introduce the dads to our Defining Dads Program.
Defining Dads in the Community - Our Defining Dads meets on the 3rd Wednesday
each month. Dads bring their children, participate in a craft project, provide
information on various childhood matters and talk with other men about their
parenting style in a safe secure place.
Program
Manager
Supervisor
Staff
Collaboration on how the program should look
Home Visitation- Some staff may be hesitant in
working with the father or having a Fatherhood
Educator involved.
Create an institutional change in working with fathers.
Fatherhood Educator attends all the same trainings as
the Family Support Worker.
Developing a trust with FSW.
Managers/Supervisors provide on going training for
our staff about Fatherhood programming.
Be patient, things take time, don’t give up.
HOME VISITATION DEMONSTRATION GRANT:
EVALUATION UPDATE SUMMER 2013
FAMILY SERVICES OF NORTHEASTERN WISCONSIN
Engaging Fathers
“Staff were asked to rate the extent to which they felt like a
series of items presented challenges for father engagement.
Table 6 shows the percentage of respondents who rated an
issue either a moderate or major challenge.”
Table 6
Potential Father Engagement Challenges
%
Fathers feel like home visiting services are for mothers.
65%
Father's work schedule.
61%
Father is incarcerated or in jail.
61%
Mother doesn't want father present.
57%
Father has transportation issues or lives far away.
44%
Fathers feel like home visiting is unnecessary or unimportant.
44%
Safety issues like domestic violence.
40%
Our home visiting model primarily focuses on mothers and
children.
22%
%= Those reporting issue as "moderate" or "major" challenge
HOME VISITATION DEMONSTRATION GRANT:
EVALUATION UPDATE SUMMER 2013
FAMILY SERVICES OF NORTHEASTERN WISCONSIN
“Similarly, the parent focus group discussed reasons fathers may be
reluctant to actively engage in home visiting services. The male
participants shared that at the beginning, they were afraid of being
judged and that they did not think that they needed help being a
father. They reflected that in hindsight, they realized how much they
needed help and reported that they never felt judged by home
visitors in the program. Staff reported a number of strategies
promote father engagement: Fatherhood specialist, specific
programming for fathers and interacting with fathers during home
visits”
HOME VISITATION DEMONSTRATION GRANT:
EVALUATION UPDATE SUMMER 2013
FAMILY SERVICES OF NORTHEASTERN WISCONSIN
“The family focus group included several men, all of whom
described extremely positive experiences with the
fatherhood specialist.”
“I like the fact that they have another person, that is my
gender that I could relate to. Like, ‘Listen man, I know you
have kids, I know you know what you are talking about—I
need help with this.”
HOME VISITATION DEMONSTRATION GRANT:
EVALUATION UPDATE SUMMER 2013
FAMILY SERVICES OF NORTHEASTERN WISCONSIN
“Additionally, several mothers remarked that fathers may
actually need more support. For instance, one mother saw
it this way:
“Mom’s have the natural instinct. It just kind of takes over…
Dad’s don’t really have that and so they need a little bit
more reassurance to know that they are doing a good job.”
Healthy Families 2014 Fatherhood Information
Home Visitation
In 2014, 181 families were enrolled in the Healthy Families Home Visitation Program
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58% of families served, have a father figure or birth father living in home with child
(or prenatal mother)
46 fathers or partners (26%) participated in home visits
Of those living in the home, 38% participate in home visits occasionally
5 birth fathers not living in the home still participate in home visits at least
occasionally
66% of birth fathers are involved or plan to be involved (if expectant) with child at
end of 2014
43% (count 48) of families have the birth father living in the home
Youngest dad is 14 years old, the oldest is 48 years old
Currently have 5 dads assigned to Terry for home visiting in Healthy families
Healthy Families 2014 Fatherhood Information
Defining Dads & Conscious Fathering (Open to any fathers in the community)
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24 fathers (or expectant fathers) participated in Workshops/classes/Events in
2014
3% were expectant fathers
15 participated in Defining Dads
13 participated in Conscious fathering
Combining the results from our home visitation and community based
Conscious Fathering and Defining Dads Programs a total of 70 fathers or
expectant fathers have been active participants.
Ave M. Mulhern
20410 Observation Drive Suite 107
Germantown, Maryland 20876
p 301.948.0599 | f
301.948.6776 | info@fatherhood.org |
fathersource@fatherhood.org
National Fatherhood
Initative will help plan out
your fatherhood program.
Purchasing curriculum,
flyers, multi media.
Perhaps a good place to
start.
© 2014 National Fatherhood Initiative. All Rights Reserved. National Fatherhood
Initiative is a registered 501(c)(3)
non-profit.
Discuss the need with program managers and
staff.
Survey the families in your community.
Develop a plan, how will it be funded?
Fatherhood Grants.
Start small and let it grow. Part-time or full time.
Be patient, things take time, don’t give up
Website, fatherhood links, Twitter, Facebook,
Community Connection newsletters or email.
Contact the media – they don’t know what
you’re doing, have a message, invite to a dads
group.
Combine with other home visitation programs.
Reach out to schools with Teen Parent
Programs.
Any Questions?