This journal article is the result of a qualitative study informed by Arditti’s Family Inequality Framework. The study features interviews with 19 fathers who were recently released from prison and data gathered through a brief background survey. Four main themes identified in the study were parenting from prison, committed fathering, outside influences on parenting, and recreating oneself. The fathers identified factors that created barriers in maintaining contact and communication with their children while being incarcerated, such as personal challenges, systemic barriers (such as housing, employment, and the criminal justice system), and parental challenges.

This brief from the National Research Center on Hispanic Children and Families uses data sets from the 2013-2017 National Survey of Family Growth (NSFG), which include measures of father involvement for children from birth to age 18. The brief examines differences in experiences of US-born and foreign-born Hispanic fathers. There is also an examination of three domains of fathering behaviors: engagement, warmth, and caregiving.

This infographic from the National Fatherhood Initiative shares that 18.3 million children in the United States are without their biological father in the home. It details how children are affected in father-absent homes, including teen pregnancy, as teens are seven times more likely to become pregnant; child abuse, as children are more likely to face abuse and neglect; and behavioral problems. Data used in the infographic was retrieved from the U.S. Census Bureau.

This National Responsible Fatherhood Clearinghouse brief provides information and action steps that fatherhood programs can use to help unmarried fathers understand and navigate their circumstances and options. Highlighted action steps include creating a parenting plan, finding out whether free or low-cost programs and services are available to unmarried fathers, attending negotiation conferences, and consistently complying with a parenting time schedule.

This brief by the National Responsible Fatherhood Clearinghouse analyzes data on the amount and frequency of formal and informal child support payments. The analysis included fathers aged 20-49 who reported living apart from at least one biological or adopted child aged 18 or younger and used data from the 2015-2017 National Survey of Family Growth. Highlights of the analysis were the reported frequency of support payments, which varied according to the father’s employment status.

This video series, available through the National Responsible Fatherhood Clearinghouse, encourages fathers to show their “Dadication” to their children. The videos exhibit how fathers make time and show up for their children, even when facing common stressors like financial burdens and busy schedules.

This Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation report provides data that assesses the third cohort of Healthy Marriage and Responsible Fatherhood (HMRF) grantees following their grant award in 2015. Data snapshots cover client recruitment and characteristics through the end of the grant in 2020. The data highlights staffing and implementation, services offered to support healthy marriage and responsible fatherhood, and other program components.

This research-to-practice brief reviews lessons learned from Seedco’s Office of Family Assistance-funded Strong Fathers, Stronger Families (SFSF) program which adjusted its service delivery model resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. SFSF helps fathers achieve financial stability by providing services focused on responsible fatherhood, healthy relationships, and economic stability. Seedco utilized a Continuous Quality Improvement process to service delivery that included continuous reflection on program improvements. Lessons learned focus on changes in recruitment and enrollment of participants, how program providers can deliver virtual workshops, how other services and referrals can be delivered virtually, the ways staff can change practices and procedures to enhance program benefits and minimize program limitations, and participants’ responses to virtual programming.

This research-to-practice brief focuses on a fatherhood engagement approach that was implemented in the Northeast Florida Healthy Start Coalition’s Fatherhood PRIDE program. The brief examines how Fatherhood PRIDE recruited, enrolled, and retained fathers by father-specific strategies and how the program partnered with other stakeholders that provide services to fathers. The brief also highlights the program’s intake process that captures and leverages participating fathers’ supports and networks.

The Fathers & Families Coalition of America will host its 22nd Annual National Conference as a hybrid event (with in-person and virtual events) from May 16, 2021 to May 19, 2021 in Los Angeles, California. The conference will include presentations on strategies to support students and families during the COVID-19 pandemic, virtual case management, supporting fatherhood and fatherhood engagement, child support, trauma-informed care, and overcoming adversity and building resilience. Six workshops will be offered as part of the advanced practitioner credential program. The conference registration includes a fee.