Fathers Are Forever is a must read for all divorced dads who want to remain involved parents. The saying that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure applies here. Reading Fathers Are Forever means kids keep their fathers. Every father needs to read this book.Fathers Are Forever is a handy, how-to book which draws on actual experiences of men and women seeking to create and sustain co-parenting relationships. The book walks parents through the divorce process from beginning to end. It moves Mom and Dad from adversaries to co-operative parents in spite of the fact that they live in…
Every baby that is born has a father as well as a mother. As obvious as that seems, when it comes to teen parents-- particularly unmarried teen parents-- the father often gets lost in the shuffle. The focus is on the infant, as it should be, and on the mother who has gone through the rigors of childbirth and now faces the sometimes overwhelming responsibilities of motherhood. Nevertheless, the young father also has feelings and worries and responsibilities to face. He too may feel overwhelmed and alone, but actually he is one of many adolescent males who finds themselves in this situation…
This volume reports on a study that explored the meaning and significance of the paternal role to jailed fathers and how the experience of going to jail affects that role. Characteristics of pre-incarceration relationships of jailed fathers in their families were also studied, as well as the nature and significance of contact with family during incarceration, the impact of pre-incarceration relationships of jailed fathers on the stress of incarceration, and the plans and expectations of jailed fathers regarding their paternal role following release. The study was conducted in two phases and…
In recent years a number of programs have been initiated to provide incarcerated fathers with education and training in parenting skills. This chapter reviews research, theory and the evolving practice of such programs, including experiences of 125 inmates who have participated in parenting classes while in prison. The psychosocial and social needs of incarcerated fathers; recruitment and barriers; program goals; evaluation strategies; and a summary of core information to guide program development are presented. Common characteristics of imprisoned fathers and various prison parenting…
This examination of Judeo-Christian faith-based initiatives promoting responsible fatherhood explores the basic values and assumptions of such interventions and the characteristics of several successful programs. A number of barriers and challenges exist to faith-based fatherhood programs focused on improving the father-child-family relationship. The basic assumption of such programs is that to be a good father a man must become a man of God, the authors explain, and scriptures provide many examples and moral lessons about the behavior and character of a good father. Evangelical Protestant…
This examination of fathers rights presents a series of legal tools for father advocates that can serve as an alternative to court litigation. Often fathers who are very involved with their children's lives find themselves relegated to the status of visitor after a contentious divorce, and feel the only way to gain greater access to the children is through the courts. The authors of this chapter suggest alternative strategies, but stress that the most important duty of newly divorced fathers to understand the rules of family law. Wage assignments and child support add-ons, such as health…
The best interests of the child are not being served by court practices that severely restrict a father's access to his children. This book describes the negative consequences of father absence for children and outlines the benefits of joint custody arrangements. The chapters summarize psychiatric and psychological literature about the importance of both parents to child development and provide a history of the evolution of the family and family law. Children's rights and international law, injustice in the court system, and demographics are discussed. The book also provides a father's…
red dot icon
Journal Article Using data from case records and from questionnaires completed by caseworkers, the author describes: contact between 132 fathers of children in kinship foster care and their caseworkers over a period of 12 months; and the fathers' involvement in permanency planning for their children. The data indicate that most fathers had no contact with the caseworkers during the period under study, and had never participated in permanency planning. Analysis revealed that paternal involvement varied significantly by the child's family composition. Fathers of two or more children from a one-father family…
red dot icon
Journal Article Most research on the effect of father figures in the home on the incidence of child maltreatment has been cross-sectional and has focused on sexual abuse. This prospective study's purpose is to determine if the presence of a father surrogate in the home affects the risk of a subsequent child maltreatment report. In a longitudinal sample of at-risk children, North Carolina's Central Registry for Child Abuse and Neglect was used to determine the maltreatment history of children from birth to age 8 years. Children who had a father surrogate living in the home were twice as likely to be reported…
red dot icon
Journal Article While considerable research has been carried out on the experiences of birth mothers in adoption, birth fathers remain a relatively neglected group. As part of an ongoing project to redress the balance, Gary Clapton explores the life course of a group of 30 birth fathers ranging in age from 35 to late 60s. Beginning with the immediate post-adoption period, he traces the men's early feelings of grief and loss, and in a minority of cases, alleged indifference, through to a spectrum of emotions spanning curiosity, concern, regret and 'connectedness'. The author points to similarities with the…
