Positive interactions with adults during the first three years of life are vital for healthy emotional, social, and intellectual development. Research has found that 85 percent of the neurons in the brain that contribute to academic success are formed by the age of three years old. However, public funding for children's services is lowest for this age group. This guide describes policies that should be implemented by the state of Illinois to promote nurturing relationships that help children to develop. The suggestions address methods for strengthening parent-child attachments, supporting…
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The Amachi initiative was implemented in Philadelphia to reduce risks for children of incarcerated men and women. Research has found that these children are vulnerable because of the instability of their living situation as well as the feelings associated with having a parent in prison. Depression, poor academic achievement, substance abuse, and juvenile delinquency are more likely among the children of incarcerated parents than in the general population. Amachi seeks to provide a positive influence in these children's lives with adults recruited from faith-based communities. Big Brothers Big…
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Journal Article This study is the first to examine racial and ethnic diversity in nonresident father involvement for multiple domains of father involvement. Data come from a sample of 5,377 adolescents with nonresident fathers in the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health). In addition to contact, we explore more intensive types of involvement and qualities of the father-child relationship that tap key dimensions of social capital found to be especially important in promoting child wellbeing. We find racial/ethnic differences for many aspects of father involvement, some of which can be…
Research demonstrates that children benefit in a variety of ways when they have significant positive involvement with fathers and father figures. Research also demonstrates that fathers accrue a variety of benefits by being positively involved with their kids. This two-way street of mutual benefits for children and fathers is increasingly noted as a reason for strengthening the relationship between dadand child. This fact sheet highlights the broad benefits of father involvement for children and fathers. (Author abstract).
Promoting health and recognizing illness in young children are not intuitive skills and many fathers lack the knowledge, skills, and confidence to safely care for the health and well-being of their children. The National Fatherhood Initiative's (NFI) Doctor Dad workshop was created in 2002 specifically to address this concern.This report is a summary of a formative-evaluation study on the Doctor Dad workshop and curriculum conducted by the Center for Social Work Research at the University of Texas at Austin. The formative evaluation was part of a pilot test to assess the effectiveness and…
This report explores the importance of interpersonal relationships in the development of a child. It begins by discussing the benefits of a secure mother and child relationship, peer relationships, relationships with caregivers in day care, teacher student relationships, and relationships with other caring adults. Unfounded scientific assertions about the influence of relationships on children are identified, and the gap between scientific findings and policy is examined. Implications for the development of policy that promote the well-being of children are discussed, and include: the…
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Father involvement is critical to a child's long-term growth and development. Increased positive father involvement and engagement will create greater opportunities for fathers to make a significant contribution to their children's healthy growth and development. Fathers vary in expectations about their roles and the goals they have set for parenting and child development activities. These varying expectations need to be considered and responded to as efforts are made to support a range of father involvement opportunities. This tool has been developed, pilot-tested and used by several…
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Journal Article Research on fathers in Early Head Start (EHS) has provided an opportunity to study fathers from low-income families. We examined father-toddler social toy play in relation to EHS enrollment, fathers' psychosocial well-being, and children's developmental outcomes in a sample of 74 father-toddler dyads. Overall, our results show that father-toddler social toy play was more complex among fathers in an EHS program than among those in a comparison group. Greater complexity in father-toddler social toy play predicted better cognitive and social developmental outcomes for young children,…
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Journal Article This article is based on an in-depth qualitative study of efforts by an Early Head Start program to include fathers in program activities with the aim of supporting and strengthening their involvement in their children's lives. Since this program employs a home-visiting model of service delivery, our focus is on the work and experiences of home-visiting staff. Our key findings concern the evolutionary development of program thinking and practice regarding fathers and father involvement; barriers or challenges to father involvement; and successful strategies for engaging fathers on both a…
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Journal Article The primary purpose of this report was to investigate the correlates of attachment security with fathers and the concordance of mother-infant and father-infant attachment as measured by the Attachment Q-set (AQS, Waters, 1987). Sixty fathers and mothers of 14-month old infants independently described their child using the 90-item AQS and completed questionnaires about their involvement in and attitudes toward child-rearing and self-esteem. Mother-child interactions were observed in a play situation. Fathers reporting greater engagement in child caretaking activities described their children…
