Strengthening Families: Father-Involvement Programs and Resources From National Fatherhood Initiative.

This brief explains the importance of incorporating father involvement in Strengthening Families programs designed to increase family strengths, enhance child development, and reduce the likelihood of child abuse and neglect. It explains strategies that programs can be encouraged to use, including employing men as staff members in varied positions and in significant roles, creating an environment that is welcoming and inclusive of all family members, consistently communicating with both fathers and mothers on all issues concerning their children – and making this policy explicit to both parents, hosting special activities and programs in response to men’s expressed interests, and intentionally inviting and encouraging men to become active participants in the program. Resources from the National Fatherhood Initiative that can support fathers in building the Strengthening Families protective factors are then described.