Across the political spectrum, unwed fatherhood is denounced as one of the leading social problems of today. Doing the Best I Can is a strikingly rich, paradigm-shifting look at fatherhood among inner-city men often dismissed as “deadbeat dads.” Kathryn Edin and Timothy J. Nelson examine how couples in challenging straits come together and get pregnant so quickly—without planning. The authors chronicle the high hopes for forging lasting family bonds that pregnancy inspires, and pinpoint the fatal flaws that often lead to the relationship’s demise. They offer keen insight into a radical…
This report describes four Responsible Fatherhood programs that focus primarily on low-income Hispanic fathers: Futuro Now from KidWorks, a partner of The East Los Angeles Community Union, in Santa Ana, California; Project Fatherhood at The Children’s Institute, Inc., in Los Angeles County, California; Project Padres at Imperial Valley Regional Occupational Program in Imperial County, California; Responsible Fatherhood Program at Southwest Key in San Antonio, Texas. This study provides information about how these federally funded programs are implemented in a culturally relevant way and…
The evaluation team selected four grantees to participate in the PACT RF study: (1) Connections to Success in Kansas and Missouri, (2) Fathers’ Support Center in Missouri, (3) FATHER Project at Goodwill–Easter Seals Minnesota, and (4) Urban Ventures in Minnesota. As required by ACF, the RF grantees offered services in three areas: (1) parenting and fatherhood, (2) healthy marriage and relationships, and (3) economic stability. (Author introduction modified)
Led by Drs. Erin Holmes and Alan Hawkins, a team of Brigham Young University researchers conducted an FRPN-funded meta-analysis of studies of fatherhood programs targeting unmarried, never married and low-income fathers. A search of published and unpublished articles and reports from academic databases and government agencies yielded 270 studies that were potentially eligible for the analysis but only a fraction met the inclusion criteria. The researchers found that father involvement, parenting and co-parenting were significantly impacted, with the strongest effect in co-parenting skills…
The authors conducted a randomized controlled trial (RCT) to evaluate the TYRO Dads program. They examined whether attending the TYRO Dads program increases two primary outcomes: the frequency of fathers doing things with their child (or, in short, father-child activities) and their satisfaction with parenting their child (or, in short, parenting satisfaction). Second, they investigated whether differences in the primary outcomes between treatment and control group are attributable to four secondary outcomes of the program: fathers’ parenting efficacy, parenting role identity, perceived…
This report describes and summarizes results from a study conducted to test the effectiveness of the DAD MAP curriculum (Developing All Dads for Manhood and Parenting) on key fatherhood outcomes. The DAD MAP curriculum is used to guide the parenting workshop component of CFUF’s Baltimore Responsible Fatherhood Program (BRFP). The DAD MAP curriculum was developed by CFUF practitioner staff, in collaboration with researchers to outline procedures for teaching skills, guiding discussion, and facilitating interactive activities, with the goal of promoting responsible parenting and healthy…
This report provides an understanding of programmatic responsible fatherhood features that lead to strong engagement and participation by the fathers and provide context for the evaluation's forthcoming results on parenting, healthy relationships, and economic stability. This report specifically addresses three questions: 1) What were the circumstances, experiences, needs, and concerns of fathers at program entry? 2)To what extent and how did programs seek to address the needs, concerns, and circumstances presented by fathers; and 3) How did fathers respond to the offered programming in terms…
This chapter draws upon 14 years of related ethnographic studies to uncover the principal features that characterize family life among the poor. Experiences dealing with multiple agencies are discussed, as well as experiences dealing with health problems in the context of the U.S. medical care system, and the aftermaths of household emergencies. 34 references.
This chapter reviews how theorists and policymakers portray the state’s capacity to alter the behavior and beliefs of low income parents and then highlights findings from a study of two women’s experiences in their efforts to find jobs and supportive resources. Finding a job and securing welfare supports were linked to their parenting pathway, however, the mothers’ first concern was their children’s well-being. The chapter concludes by exploring whether the motivating power of raising children might lead to a more effective family policy. 34 references. (Author abstract modified)
Findings are shared from a longitudinal, qualitative study that examined the links between urban poverty-related conditions and the quality of parent-child relationships in 10 families, specifically the care and protection of infants and toddlers. The effects on parenting of the family cap, subsidized child care, and welfare-to-work requirements are discussed. 22 references.
