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According to the 1997 National Survey of America's Families, 2.6 million nonresident fathers have family incomes below the poverty line and most of them face multiple employment barriers, including a criminal record, lack of a high school education, relatively little recent work experience, and poor health. Although these employment barriers are similar to those faced by poor custodial mothers, poor nonresident fathers are significantly less likely than poor custodial mothers to participate in training, education, and job search activities as well as income security programs. Given that…
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Journal Article
To successfully engage fathers, workers need training to dispel many of the myths related to "absent fathers" believed by not only case managers but society as a whole. It is our job to create a safe environment for the children as well as the parents. Case managers need adequate training that will give them the skills to build respect and trust between the child welfare system and fathers. Agency staff--from directors to case aides--need to increase the focus on the importance of improving the father-child relationship and the benefits to the child. To better meet the needs of children in…
Effective policies to promote responsible fatherhood must rely on more than mere exhortations. Many fathers need significant assistance in becoming financially responsible for or emotionally involved with their children, whether it be job training or other employment services, or intensive case management and counseling. The model programs described in this report are outstanding examples of effective strategies for helping fathers and they deserve replication nationwide. Coupled with work requirements and increasingly tough enforcement of child support, these programs should go a long way…
This study examines the strategies that 11 purposively selected Welfare-to-Work (WtW) grantees used to design and implement their programs for non-custodial parents, usually fathers, including some of the mid-course corrections needed to improve services and client intake. It also summarizes lessons that can be learned from these efforts-- lessons that are applicable to the larger community of workforce development and social services agencies that would like to be more pro-active in serving low-income noncustodial parents. This study was undertaken to provide field-based information to WtW…
In recent years, policymakers and program administrators have increasingly focused on the role of noncustodial parents (NCPs) in the lives of low-income families. One example is Support Has A Rewarding Effect (SHARE), an initiative operated with Welfare-to-Work (WtW) grant support in three counties in the state of Washington. SHARE offered three options to NCPs whose minor, dependent children were receiving Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and who were in arrears on their support obligations: (1) start paying support, (2) enroll in a WtW program, or (3) face possible…
In late 1997, the federal Office of Child Support Enforcement (OCSE) funded Responsible Fatherhood Demonstration Projects in eight states. All of these programs attempt to improve the employment and earnings of under- and unemployed noncustodial parents, and to motivate them to become more financially and emotionally involved in the lives of their children. Although the projects share common goals, they do not follow a single format or a specific model of service delivery. This report is an early implementation analysis of the programs focusing on: (1) how they are administered; (2) the types…
This report is based on research conducted for the Parents' Fair Share Demonstration, a national demonstration project that combined job training and placement, peer support groups, and other services with the goal of increasing the earnings and child support payments of unemployed noncustodial parents (usually fathers) of children on welfare, improving their parenting and communication skills, and providing an opportunity for them to participate more fully and effectively in the lives of their children. (Author abstract).
This report is based on research conducted for the Parents' Fair Share Demonstration, a national demonstration project that combined job training and placement, peer support groups, and other services with the goal of increasing the earnings and child support payments of unemployed noncustodial parents (usually fathers) of children on welfare, improving their parenting and communication skills, and providing an opportunity for them to participate more fully and effectively in the lives of their children. (Author abstract).
Most low-income dads are connected with their children at birth. Contrary to what some may believe, they do want to provide support for their children, although they do not know how to step into the role of financial and emotional provider. Often, these fathers share many of the same characteristics as welfare recipients--poor work history, low levels of literacy, sporadic employment or unemployment. Additionally, many low-income dads have grown up without their own fathers, so they lack true examples of what it means to be a father. There is growing recognition that low-income fathers are in…
This guide suggests some of the many flexible ways States may expend their Federal TANF and State MOE funds to further the purposes of the TANF program. This guide is organized into seven sections: (1) Introduction provides some background information, explaining what progress has been made on welfare reform, what the funding situation is, the purposes of TANF, and the purpose of this guide; (2) Considerations in Deciding Whether A Use of Funds is Appropriate presents a list of factors which a State would consider in deciding what benefits and services to fund with Federal or State dollars…
