This video explains the benefits of fatherhood engagement and how programs that serve fathers can support Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) participants in forming and maintaining strong and stable families.

This video is the first in a three-part series designed to describe how Fatherhood Engagement programming and services can enhance TANF cash assistance programs to support the formation and stability of two-parent families and foster responsible parenting. The corresponding resource list allows viewers to access any links mentioned in this series.

This Fatherhood podcast episode examines the economic and social impact of investing in fathers, highlighting how father engagement contributes to improved outcomes for children and families. TANF programs can use these insights to strengthen fatherhood initiatives and reinforce the value of inclusive family supports.

Poppa University is a website that offers fatherhood-focused resources designed to strengthen parenting skills, promote responsible father engagement, and support family stability. TANF programs can draw on these tools to better engage fathers as key contributors to child well-being and economic security, helping to build stronger, more resilient families.

The National Responsible Fatherhood Clearinghouse offers a comprehensive compendium of fatherhood curricula designed to support responsible parenting, healthy relationships, and economic stability. These evidence-informed and promising program models can help TANF agencies and partners strengthen father engagement strategies, offer parenting and relationship education, and better support noncustodial parents in contributing to family well-being.

Separation between parents can create significant challenges for children, fathers, and families, especially when factors such as incarceration, employment demands, or child welfare involvement disrupt family relationships. The Institute for Research on Poverty will host a webinar on March 11, 2026 at 1:00 p.m. ET to explore research and practical strategies for helping fathers maintain or rebuild connections with their children during and after periods of separation. For TANF programs, the discussion may highlight opportunities to strengthen father engagement, support healthy co-parenting relationships, and connect noncustodial parents with services that promote family stability and child well-being.

The Child Welfare Information Gateway podcast series covers timely topics in child welfare, family well-being, and systems change. These episodes can be a great professional learning resource for TANF staff, partners, and community providers engaged in cross-system work or serving families with complex needs.

In December 2025, the National Governors Association (NGA) hosted a conversation for the Human Services Policy Advisors network and Administration for Children and Families (ACF) Assistant Secretary Dr. Alex Adams to spotlight new administration priorities. This NGA discussion summary highlights ACF’s efforts to ensure every child has a safe, stable home by emphasizing prevention, family preservation, and kinship care. A recording is available but please contact the NGA Children & Families team for the password at info@nga.com. 

For TANF programs, this focus on keeping families together before deeper system involvement resonates with prevention-oriented work and cross-system collaboration. TANF staff can use insights from these efforts to strengthen connections with local child welfare and kinship support networks, helping families maintain stability and access supports that reduce economic hardship and crisis.

This report from the Sutherland Institute explores how religious involvement and faith communities can support family stability by fostering commitment, shared values, and social support networks. It reviews evidence suggesting that participation in faith communities is linked with stronger family cohesion and resilience. While focusing on religion’s role, the examples can help TANF programs think about the broader social supports and community connections that contribute to family well-being and how partnerships with community organizations might enhance supports for participants.

This Institute for Family Studies resource outlines seven policy approaches states can use to support marriage, family stability, and economic wellbeing — including relationship education, shared parenting supports, income policies, and community-based initiatives. For TANF programs, this resource offers concrete ideas that can inform program design, partnerships, and policy alignment, such as integrating relationship skills into employment services, coordinating with child support and parenting programs, and considering how benefits and work policies affect family stability. TANF leaders can use this perspective to identify opportunities where family-strengthening strategies and economic supports reinforce one another to improve outcomes for parents and children.

The Office of Family Assistance (OFA) is excited to offer the opportunity to receive technical assistance on strengthening employment and relational outcomes for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) participants by integrating new and effective approaches for meeting the economic and social needs of families. State and Tribal TANF programs and their partner organizations that support TANF purposes are welcome to express interest in receiving technical assistance to strengthen employment and relational outcomes of customers.

The Family Routes Initiative supports the integration of evidence-based Healthy Marriage and Responsible Fatherhood (HMRF) practices, approaches that help build and sustain healthy marriages, strengthen positive father-child interactions, and build skills employers seek (e.g., soft skills, goal setting, self-regulation, accountability, and personal responsibility).

What Does the Family Routes Initiative Offer?

Selected participants may receive:

• Tailored assistance aligned to program goals and context
• Support adapting evidence-based HMRF practices for local needs
• Practical tools and resources to strengthen family outcomes

To express interest, please contact: familyroutes@deloitte.com.