1. Bringing Back the Dads! in the Child Welfare System
Effective Evidenced-Based Practice for Engaging Fathers
in the Child Welfare System
Intro material reviewed quickly
Read a few key quotes from Washington Post, “Unknown Father.”
Paul Frankel, Ph.D. (with the assistance of many other Colleagues…)
Evaluation Specialist, Mental Health Center of Denver
(Formerly) Research Project Manager
Quality Improvement Center on Non-Resident Fathers

2. Quality Improvement Center for Non-resident Fathers in Child Welfare
QIC-NRF American Humane Association, Children’s Division ABA Center on Children and the Law National Fatherhood Initiative
A Project of the Children’s Bureau Administration on Children, Youth and Families Administration on Children and Families U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Intro material reviewed quickly

3. Fathers and the Child Welfare System
“Is there a difference in family outcomes based on father involvement?”
“Are kids better off?”
About 35 seconds
A PSA from NFI

4. Communities and Agencies are Changing Organizational Cultures
QIC-NRF Research & Demonstration Sites:
Marion County, Indiana -
Indiana Department of Child Services in Indianapolis
Indiana Fathers and Families Center,
King County, Washington -
Division of Children and Family Services in Seattle
Divine Alternatives for Dads,
El Paso County, Colorado -
El Paso County Department of Human Services in Colorado Springs
Center for Fathering,
Tarrant County, Texas –
Texas Department of Family and Protective Services in Ft. Worth
New Day Services for Children and Families,
$650k each Site awarded each year over 39 months
Public/Private Partnerships
Independent Evaluators in each Site
“It takes a village!”

5. Exercise: Who is “Father of the Year?”
“Alfonso” (V.I.P. Dad)
High paying job
Pretty stable marriage
Works long hours
Travels
Moderately affectionate
Minimally engaged
“Chris” (Non-resident Dad)
Low paying job(s)
Never married
Works regular hours
Has small apartment
Highly affectionate
Fairly engaged
“Cheng” (Underemployed Dad)
Some part-time work
Pretty stable marriage
Works from home but bored
Not the “bread-winner”
Mildly affectionate
No night “duty”
“LaRon” (Step-Dad)
Full-time construction
Pretty stable marriage
Works regular hours
Paycheck to paycheck
Mildly affectionate
Good night “duty”
Differing opinions

6. The Facts of Father Absence
Proportion of Children in Father-Absent Homes “The Living Arrangements of Children,” U.S. Census Bureau, 2005
In 1960, 8 million children lived in father-absent homes.
Today, over 24 million children live in homes without their fathers.
2 out of 3 African American children live in father-absent homes.

7. What about the Dads? Is there a child welfare system bias?
1,958 children removed from homes where the Father did not reside
88% Agency had identified the Father
55% Agency had contacted the Father
70% of caseworkers had received training on engaging fathers
30% Father had visited the Child
Identification
Location
Contact
Engagement
28% Father expressed interest in child living with him
Based on interviews with 1,222 caseworkers
Malm, Murray, & Geen (2006). What About the Dads? Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Children’s Bureau

8. CFSR Case-Level Data: 32 States Differences In Serving Mothers and Fathers
Average Across States: Percent of Cases Rated as Strength
“Case-Level Data” refers to results based on analysis of data from the 2,069 cases reviewed in fiscal years 2007 and 2008; “State-Level Data” refers to results based on analysis of data from the 32 States reviewed.
Item 16: Relationship of child in care with parent
Item 17b: Needs and services of parents (Needs Assessed)
Item 17b: Needs and services of parents (Needs Addressed)
Item 18: Child and family involvement in case planning
Item 20: Caseworker visits with parents (Frequency)
Item 20: Caseworker visits with parents (Quality)

9. Interactive Discussion: Challenges to Engaging Fathers9

10. Common Barriers to Involving Fathers
Mothers’ reluctance to reveal name or location of father. (“Gatekeeper!” )
* violent or unhealthy episodes.
* a new romantic relationship.
* protect father from further involvement with the court.
* reluctant to bring the current abuse or neglect incident to the attention of the father.
For instance: 9 in 10 mothers (93%) agree that there is a father absence crisis in America today.
"Work responsibilities" were ranked as the biggest obstacle to good fathering.
Mothers report less satisfaction with fathers of teenage children than with fathers of younger children.
“Mama Says”:
9 in 10 mothers (93%) agree that there is a father absence crisis in America today.

11. Caseworker Ambivalence
Caseworkers’ ambivalence about finding fathers due to:
* negative experiences with fathers.
* suspect that the father is not interested in the child. (Is this true?)
* fear that bringing the father into the child welfare case may increase conflict.
* the belief that involving fathers is more work and expense for the agency.  
What is the culture of YOUR agency/organization?

12. Effective Father Engagement Strategies
What does “HELP!” look like for these fathers?
Strongly influenced by gender roles.
No “Sissy Stuff!”
Admitting to a problem is not easy.
Difficulty in asking for help and depending on others.
Being perceived as “weak.”

13. QIC-NRF Father Engagement Curriculum
Dad as Part of the Solution: Overview of the Child Welfare System - How does the child welfare system work? A CW representative will join.
Dad as Planner: Service Planning in the Child Welfare System – How does the child welfare system give help to families? A CW representative will join.
Dad as Part of the Juvenile Court Process: Legal Advocacy and Court Etiquette - How does the juvenile court/legal process work? An attorney for parents will join.
Dad as a Healthy Parent: Taking Care of You - What will it mean for my children if I am healthy?
Dad as Community Member: Identifying and Accessing Resources - What kinds of help or services are available to me and my children in my community?
Dad as Cultural Guide: The Role of Culture in Parenting What cultures am I a part of? How does my culture influence how I parent my children?
Peer-led solution-focused; Review quickly.

14. Father Engagement Curriculum [-cont’d.]
Dad as Parent: Understanding Your Children - What do children need at all ages to grow up in a healthy way?
Dad as Part of Children’s Placement: Visiting with Your Children - How does the child welfare visitation process work?
Dad as Provider: Supporting Your Children - What is “child support” and what is expected of me as a Dad who does not live with my children? A CSE representative will join.
Dad as Team Player: Shared Parenting - How do I get along better with my children’s mother, our extended families and the foster parents or other involved caregivers?
Dad as Worker: Workforce Readiness - Why is it important for my children and for myself that I have a job? A workforce readiness expert will join.
Continuation from last curriculum slide

15. Effective Father Engagement Strategies
Check your attitude at the door!
Address your personal biases.
Resist stereotyping non-resident fathers.
Provide a welcoming physical environment.
First contact by a male (if possible).
Avoiding using “system” jargon!
Example of “jargon”
Title IV-D of the Social Security Act (Federal-State Child Support Enforcement Program)
Title IV-E, Medicaid, and Other Applicable Benefits
“We have a new family that just entered CPS and we are awaiting TPR. The child may have DD and ADHD, but I’m not sure of the DSM. The MOC told us about past abuse, but we need an assessment by an LCSW or Ph.D. Let’s see if we can use some of our IV-D or IV-E money to help. Also, the child may be under the jurisdiction of ICWA.”

16. Outcomes: Treatment by CPS
Percent within Site of Treatment by CPS at Last Interview (T2)
Percent of Fathers
SITE CO IN TX WA
Overall
Not at all fairly
5.88%
14.86%
11.11%
39.13%
16%
Unfairly on the whole
0.00%
4.05%
17.78%
8.70% 8%
OKAY
17.65%
18.92%
28.89%
13.04%
21%
Fairly on the whole
5.41%
6.67% 6%
Very fairly
22.97%
20.00%
30.43%
23%
Missing data
47.06%
32.43%
15.56%
25%
Total
100%
T1 8 weeks
T2 16 weeks

17. Percent of Fathers within Site
Outcomes: Visitation
Percent within Site of Visits Since Last Interview (T2)
Percent of Fathers within Site
SITE CO IN TX WA
Overall
Less than 10
75.0%
3.3%
40.0%
100.0%
21.7%
10 to 19
25.0%
26.7%
50.0%
0.0%
30.4%
20 to 29
6.7%
4.3%
30 to 39
16.7%
10.0%
13.0%
40 to 49
2.2%
50 to 59
80 to 89
6.5%
90 to 99
100 and up
10.9%
Total

18. Parents are people too…
“When I was a boy of fourteen, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I got to be twenty-one, I was astonished at how much he had learned in seven years.” -- Mark Twain ( )
Cynical Humor!

19. For more information please contact: Paul Frankel, Ph.D.
“I cannot think of any need in childhood as strong as the need for a father's protection.”
--Sigmund Freud ( )
Last slide
For more information please contact:
Paul Frankel, Ph.D.
Ph. 719/ or