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Journal Article This article addresses the issue of the basis and nature of an unwed biological father's right to block or reverse an adoption decision of an unwed mother. The author begins by reviewing the historical development of the legal status of unwed fathers under common law and United States constitutional law and discussing State statutory and case law concerning unwed fathers and adoption. Although the U.S. Supreme Court has found that unwed fathers who have established and maintained a relationship with their children have some protection under the Constitution, there is great variation among…
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Journal Article The authors examined the relationship between parental attitudes toward and perceptions of father involvement in families according to the degree of paternal participation in child rearing. Subjects consisted of 8 families drawn from a sample of 100 families participating in a longitudinal study of parental involvement. Focus-group interviews were used to collect data regarding high-father-involvement fathers, high-father-involvement mothers, low-father-involvement fathers, and low-father-involvement mothers. Results indicated that different processes may influence men's participation in…
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Journal Article This article describes effective family support intervention programs designed for adolescent parents. The social support programs are offered through child care centers used by adolescents as they continue their education or vocational training. Benefits of social support services include improved knowledge about parenting, enhanced relationships between parent and child; and increased economic self-sufficiency for the young family. Three types of program models are explained in the article: community-based programs (health services, supplemental parent education); comprehensive programs (…
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Journal Article This law review describes the adoption cases of legal battles between birth fathers and adoptive parents. The author notes that these cases illustrate the tension in the independent adoption laws among the constitutionally protected rights of birth fathers; the tenuous rights of adoptive parents; and the concept of the "best interest of the child." The law review explores the relationship in California among independent adoption laws, the rights of birth fathers, and considerations of the best interests of the child, as they are contained in the California Family Code and developed in case…
