1. Engaging Fathers Terry Wolfgram Fatherhood Educational Specialist
4/9/2017 4:14 PM
Engaging Fathers
Terry Wolfgram
Fatherhood Educational Specialist
Healthy Families – Green Bay
© 2007 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Microsoft, Windows, Windows Vista and other product names are or may be registered trademarks and/or trademarks in the U.S. and/or other countries.
The information herein is for informational purposes only and represents the current view of Microsoft Corporation as of the date of this presentation. Because Microsoft must respond to changing market conditions, it should not be interpreted to be a commitment on the part of Microsoft, and Microsoft cannot guarantee the accuracy of any information provided after the date of this presentation. MICROSOFT MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS, IMPLIED OR STATUTORY, AS TO THE INFORMATION IN THIS PRESENTATION.

2. Let’s talk about the Polling Surveys

3. POLL 1
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)

4. POLL 2
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

5. POLL 3
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

6. How does your organization engage fathers into it’s programs?
4/9/2017 4:14 PM
How does your organization engage fathers into it’s programs?
© 2007 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Microsoft, Windows, Windows Vista and other product names are or may be registered trademarks and/or trademarks in the U.S. and/or other countries.
The information herein is for informational purposes only and represents the current view of Microsoft Corporation as of the date of this presentation. Because Microsoft must respond to changing market conditions, it should not be interpreted to be a commitment on the part of Microsoft, and Microsoft cannot guarantee the accuracy of any information provided after the date of this presentation. MICROSOFT MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS, IMPLIED OR STATUTORY, AS TO THE INFORMATION IN THIS PRESENTATION.

7. S Fatherhood Checkup Is there a Fatherhood Educator on staff?
4/9/2017 4:14 PM
S Fatherhood Checkup
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?
© 2007 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Microsoft, Windows, Windows Vista and other product names are or may be registered trademarks and/or trademarks in the U.S. and/or other countries.
The information herein is for informational purposes only and represents the current view of Microsoft Corporation as of the date of this presentation. Because Microsoft must respond to changing market conditions, it should not be interpreted to be a commitment on the part of Microsoft, and Microsoft cannot guarantee the accuracy of any information provided after the date of this presentation. MICROSOFT MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS, IMPLIED OR STATUTORY, AS TO THE INFORMATION IN THIS PRESENTATION.

8. 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?

9. 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.

10. Absent Fathers
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.

11. The Consequences of Father Absence
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)

12. The Consequences of Father Absence
80% of rapists motivated with displaced anger come from fatherless homes (Source Criminal Justice & Behavior, Vol 14, p )
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.)

13. Benefits of Father Involvement
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.

14. Benefits of Father Involvement
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 )

15. Another survey question asked by NFI: Are dads replaceable?

16. 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.

17. Based on the previous slide, what does this statistic tell us?

18. Based on the previous slide, what does this statistic tell us?
Mothers don’t value the role fathers play in the lives of their children; that they can be replaced.

19. This is a significant starting point in engaging fathers.

20. This is a significant starting point in engaging fathers.
It’s extremely difficult to engage fathers without engaging mothers.

21. Dr. Kyle Pruett – Yale University School of Medicine
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.

22. Dr. Kyle Pruett – Yale University School of Medicine
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.”

23. Merriam Webster’s Definitions
Gateway: an opening to a main entrance or exit way.
Gatekeeper: a person who controls access.

24. What is Maternal Gatekeeping
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.

25. Behavioral Aspects
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 things-while he does not.

26. Tool to Assess Behavioral Aspects
History – Assessment using Childhood Experiences Survey asking dad
DV/substance abuse
Mental illness
Homeless
Violent crime

27. A Approach to Fatherhood
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.

28. A Approach to Fatherhood
Supervisor
Staff
Program Manager
Collaboration on how the program should look

29. A Approach to Fatherhood
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.

30. A Approach to Fatherhood
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.”

31. A Approach to Fatherhood
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.
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.
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

32. A Approach to Fatherhood
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”

33. A Approach to Fatherhood
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.”

34. A Approach to Fatherhood
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.”

35. A Approach to Fatherhood
Healthy Families 2014 Fatherhood Information
Home Visitation
In 2014, 181 families were enrolled in the Healthy Families Home Visitation Program
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

36. A Approach to Fatherhood
Healthy Families 2014 Fatherhood Information
Defining Dads & Conscious Fathering (Open to any fathers in the community)
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.

37. What will your approach be to fatherhood Programming?

38. National Fatherhood Initative will help plan out your fatherhood program. Purchasing curriculum, flyers, multi media. Perhaps a good place to start.
Ave M. Mulhern
20410 Observation Drive Suite 107 Germantown, Maryland 20876
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© 2014 National Fatherhood Initiative. All Rights Reserved. National Fatherhood Initiative is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit.

39. Develop Your Own Approach to a Fatherhood Program
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

40. Promote Your Fatherhood Program
Website, fatherhood links, Twitter, Facebook, Community Connection newsletters or .
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.

41. Thank You
Any Questions?