This paper examines New York law on the rights of unwed fathers. Cases that form the constitutional basis for the recognition and limitation of the rights of unwed fathers are presented. Standards set forth by New York for determining whether an unwed father must consent to a nonmarital child's pending adoption are presented. Fathers with due process rights with respect to voluntary surrenders and termination of parental rights involving their nonmarital children are identified. Situations in which adoptions can proceed without the consent of an unwed father are discussed. Situations in which…
A man learns masculinity primarily from his father. But generations of boys who grow up without caring fathers or male mentors to emulate are left to guess what "men" are really like. They rely on cultural icons--larger than life images--as models of masculinity. As a result, they grow up mirroring overblown myths of manhood. Obsessed with being "man enough," they become philanderers, controllers, and competitors-- constantly overcompensating for their loss of a true role model, yet sorely unprepared for family life.In Man Enough, psychiatrist and family therapist Frank Pittman explores what…
Biller, well known for his extensive research into the impacts of involved fathering or the absence thereof, provides a comprehensive, straightforward analysis of just how important paternal involvement really is. He describes the great advantages accruing to a child when the father, as well as the mother, actively participates in the parenting process. Fathers who sustain high interest and a true presence in a child's nurturing significantly influence body image, self-esteem, moral standards, intellectual achievement, and social competency. The benefits, Biller shows, extend beyond the…
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Journal Article Family-centered therapeutic and educational approaches generally include men. However, fewer men than women utilize the services of most family agencies. The author describes a three-generational men's retreat for grandfathers, fathers, and sons. The program allowed participants to observe the affirmative and painful interactions of other participants as well as provide valuable contributions of their own. (Author abstract)This article is part of A Special Issue: Fathers.
One in five children in the United States is born to an unwed mother. Fifty-three percent of children supported by welfare have unmarried parents. While public attention has focused almost solely on unwed mothers, an emerging new interest in unwed fathers is being fueled largely by sensational anecdotes and stereotypes. This volume is the first to bring together a wide and balanced array of research perspectives on unwed fatherhood. Sixteen essays - all but one of which are original to this volume - describe unwed fathers' characteristics and behavior, examine policies to enforce child…
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This handbook provides a guide to incarcerated parents, prison administrators and staff members, and child development and parent education professionals interested in developing and running parenting education and support programs for incarcerated parents. It also discusses the impact of incarceration on all family members, and the importance of considering that impact when establishing prison policies, developing priorities for funding, and delivering services to prisoners and their families. (Author abstract)
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Journal Article Twenty-five years after the founding of Head Start, the nation's most politically successful program for young children has discovered men. The Department of Health and Human Services is using Head Start as the centerpiece of its "male initiative" to increase the involvement of fathers and other males in the lives of young children. This review, which synthesizes relevant literature on child development, parent involvement, and service delivery, offers a set of guidelines that policymakers can use to increase the likelihood that male involvement with preschool education at the national or…
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Journal Article This article uses information from a survey of 250 county child support agencies conducted in 1990 to describe how paternity establishment is organized and expedited in a nationally representative sample of localities. Findings indicate county paternity establishment rates are significantly associated with demographic characteristics of the counties. Rates were higher in counties that were spending more on child support cases, had lower average AFDC caseload per child support workers, transferred contested cases from a non-legal to a legal agency, and had a multiple consent process in which…
This book makes the case for two-parent involvement in child-rearing, even after separation and divorce, and analyzes the crisis in family law in the United States. Beginning chapters discuss children as victims of divorce, the denial of access for the non-custodial parent, abuse of child abuse laws, and strategies for implementing legal reform in divorce-related areas. A case for the joint custody of children is made, and the parenting problems faced by parents post-divorce are described. Chapter 4 presents reasons parents should enter into parenting agreements and outlines issues that…
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Journal Article The author provides a theoretical perspective for understanding the roles African American fathers play in their families. Ecological theory considers the context in which African American fathers play the roles of provider protector, shared decision maker, child socializer, and supporter of his spouse. From an ecological and historical perspective, despite economic, employment, and educational barriers, African American fathers are no different from fathers in other ethnic groups regarding the roles they play within their family. Better evaluations of the interactions between African…
