The Role of Fathers in the Positive Development of Young People

A Forum — December 13, 2002

Background

Oftentimes ignored and too easily overshadowed, the role of fathers in promoting positive youth development is now receiving greater attention from researchers and policymakers. Traditionally, psychological research has emphasized the limited role of fathers in developing children’s lives, typically in promoting socio-emotional and intellectual development through physical play with their young children. However, social science research is revealing that beyond these efforts, fathers have an instrumental role in the lives of young people—a role that research is just beginning to understand. A common thread has emerged between the incidences of youth offenders, teenage pregnancies, and lower school achievement rates and the number of adolescents raised in fatherless homes.

The relationship between fatherlessness and youth delinquency is all the more compelling because one out of every three children grows up in fatherless homes. Because fatherlessness can contribute to negative outcomes for youth, state officials have developed policies to address this issue. Over half of the states are using some of the TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) resources to fund programs or activities that support responsible fatherhood programs. Some states are using TANF funds to support programs that encourage and target young fathers by providing GED training, parenting classes and employment search assistance. At this forum, policymakers had the opportunity to learn more about the role of fathers in the development of young people and to hear recommendations about effective policies and programs from three individuals whose daily work focuses on fathers and responsible fatherhood.

Forum Summary

Roland Warren, President of the National Fatherhood Initiative (NFI) argued that while issues related to fatherhood are central to youth development, fatherhood is an elephant in the living room of social policy. Studies on youth development typically focus on the role of the mother, rather than family structure or the presence or absence of fathers. However, this has begun to change; in recent years, there seems to be a growing interest in the relationship between fatherhood and the well-being of children.

The National Fatherhood Initiative, founded in 1994, seeks to stimulate society-wide discussion about responsible fatherhood and its importance for child wellbeing. NFI’s mission is to improve child well-being by increasing the proportion of children who are raised with involved, responsible, and committed fathers. NFI hopes to achieve this mission by a) educating and inspiring all people, especially fathers, through public awareness campaigns, research, and other resources; b) equipping and developing leaders of national, state and community fatherhood initiatives through curricula, training and technical assistance; and c) engaging every sector of society through strategic alliances and partnerships. Currently, Roland is coordinating a nationwide public education campaign (organized in conjunction with the Ad Council), to raise awareness about the importance of fatherhood and to inspire fathers to realize the importance of spending time with their children. Inspiration and increased awareness are not sufficient, however, if we are to change behavior. Many fathers, particularly those who grew up without fathers themselves, need to acquire fathering strategies and skills, according to Roland. He concluded his remarks by emphasizing that absentee fathers are not good for anyone, mothers, children, or society. We know that children without absentee fathers have more problems with school and the law, for example. Therefore, our public policy needs to focus not merely on engaging the wallets of fathers but on engaging their hearts and developing their parenting skills as well.

Johnny Rice II, Director of Men’s Services for the Center for Father’s Workforce and Development (CFWD), identified some guidelines for those who would develop program that successfully engage young men as fathers. Realize that the problems men have are often very complex and that even in the worst cases, the men being served have redeeming qualities. Be non-judgmental; don’t make assumptions and pidgeon-hole fathers. Rid yourself of the myth that absentee fathers don’t care about their children. Learn about the individual through dialogue. Be honest and communicate your expectations from the outset. Provide the support and referral services that fathers need to take on positive role with their children. Realize that there are barriers such as joblessness, drug use, and mental illness that must be addressed if a man is to become a responsible parent. Be persistent and consistent. If you can’t reach a person directly and at once, you may be able to reach him over time and through provision of other services such as assistance with a job-search. Engage in outreach. It is not sufficient to merely open your door and announce your services. To reach the people you want to reach, you need to go where they are and engage with them there. Don’t assume that you know what people need. Conduct a needs-assessment by engaging with and speaking to community members. Gather feedback from those who have used the services in order to evaluate the success of the program.

Vivian Gadsden, Director of the National Center on Fathers and Families (NCOFF) and Associate Professor of Education at the University of Pennsylvania, spoke about the research that has taken place at NCOFF and its implications for polices that support positive outcomes for young fathers. As an organization, NCOFF seeks to expand the knowledge base about fatherhood, make connections between research and practice, and promote critical policy discussions. NCOFF’s analysis of knowledge gained from the field shows that the transition from biological father to committed parent has significant developmental implications for young fathers and that the behaviors of young parents are influenced significantly by intergenerational beliefs and practices within their families of origin. If policymakers want to develop policies that support positive outcomes for young fathers and families, they should not focus narrowly on fathers as responsible citizens and the reduced costs associated with father-absent families; instead, they should focus more holistically on helping fathers develop a sense of power as they develop positive relationships with themselves, their partners, and their children.

Vivian read some selected quotes from young fathers to give the audience a sense of the different ways of thinking about the significant developmental changes that take place as young men make the transition to responsible fatherhood. She then discussed some of the organizations and programs supporting this transition in the U.S. While many now exist and are successful, little is known is about what makes them successful; more research is needed to develop a nuanced understanding of the characteristics of successful programs.

Vivian concluded by identifying some ways that research and policy can support the positive development of fathers: Better coordination between programs and governments not only at the federal level but also at the state, county, and local levels; integration of the work of the multiple agencies encountered by youth fathers; collect data about the type of programmatic interventions that are most likely to work for different types of father-populations (e.g., father returning to families after incarceration); deepen and expand the content and reach of programs that serve young fathers so that complex problems such as low literacy and mental health problems can be addressed; make fatherhood a national priority in terms of funding for programs and research; broaden and deepen policy discussions at the federal level to more effectively promote fatherhood and support families.

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