Transcript Document
WELCOME!
The Engagement of
Non-Resident Fathers
www.fatherhoodqic.org
Presenters:
Paul Frankel and Tiffany Mitchell
Child Welfare
American Humane Association
Englewood, Colorado
www.americanhumane.org/protecting-children
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American Humane Association
Child Welfare
For 133 years we have developed programs,
policies, training, research & evaluation, and
innovative responses to child abuse and neglect.
We work to strengthen families and communities,
and enhance CPS. www.americanhumane.org/protecting-children
Fatherhood
Safety & Risk Assessment
Family Group Decision
Child Welfare & Migration
Making
Prevention
Differential Response
Restorative Justice
Chronic Neglect
Workload/Caseload
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QIC-NRF -- Knowledge Development
The QIC-NRF is Operated by:
American Humane Association, Child Welfare
ABA Center on Children and the Law
National Fatherhood Initiative
A Project of the Children’s Bureau
Administration on Children, Youth and Families
Administration on Children and Families
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
2006-2011
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QIC-NRF Sites are Changing their
Organizational Cultures to Engage Fathers
QIC-NRF Research and Demonstration Sites:
Marion County, Indiana Indiana Department of Child Services in Indianapolis
Indiana Fathers and Families Center, http://www.fatherresource.org/
King County, Washington Division of Children and Family Services in Seattle
Divine Alternatives for Dads, http://www.aboutdads.org/
El Paso County, Colorado El Paso County Department of Human Services in Colorado Springs
Center for Fathering, http://dhs.elpasoco.com/COF.htm
Tarrant County, Texas –
Texas Department of Family and Protective Services in Ft. Worth
New Day Services for Children and Families, http://www.newdayservices.org/
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Non-Resident Fathers and
the Child Welfare System
“Is there a difference in child and family
outcomes based on non-resident father
involvement?”
Safety
Permanency
Well-being
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Thought Exercise
Think about your answers to the following:
• What do you currently do well to engage nonresident fathers?
• What do you find most challenging about
engaging non-resident fathers?
• What was/were your initial reaction(s) about
attending a conference call/webinar on father
engagement?
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Bring Back the Dads:
Is there a child welfare system bias?
1,958 children removed from homes where the Father did not reside
88%
Agency had identified the Father
55%
Agency had contacted the Father
30%
Father had visited the Child
70% of caseworkers
had received training
on engaging fathers
28%
Father expressed interest in
child living with him
Based on interviews with 1,222 caseworkers
http://aspe.hhs.gov/hsp/06/cw-involve-dads/report.pdf
Malm, Murray, & Geen (2006). What About the Dads? Health and Human
Services, Administration for Children and Families, Children’s Bureau
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Five Key Themes –
A logical progression of father involvement
Identification – Not readily ascertainable; Moms are
not forthcoming with information.
Location – Transitional Dads; Dads move around, are
incarcerated, avoidant.
Contact – Barriers and promising strategies in actually
meeting and talking with Dads.
Engagement – Initial and ongoing; Integrate Dads
into the child welfare system.
Interagency collaboration – Contradictory or
complementary (e.g., law enforcement, CS
enforcement, Judges).
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CFSR Case-Level Data: 32 States
Differences In Serving Mothers and Fathers
Average Across States: Percent of Cases Rated as Strength
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Child and Family Service Reviews (CFSR)
Rounds 1 and 2
Mothers are more likely than fathers to receive
services.
Inconsistency in involving fathers in case
planning.
Fathers had fewer visitations with children in
foster care.
The needs of fathers were assessed and met
inconsistently.
Efforts to locate, contact, and/or engage fathers
were insufficient or inconsistent.
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Engaging Fathers
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Effective Father Engagement Strategies
What does “HELP!” look like for
fathers?
• Strongly influenced by gender
roles.
• No “Sissy Stuff!”
• Admitting to a problem is not
easy.
• Difficulty in asking for help and
depending on others.
• Being perceived as “weak.”
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Effective Father Engagement Strategies
Check your attitude at the door!
Address your personal biases
about men and fathers.
Resist stereotyping
non-resident fathers.
Provide a welcoming physical
environment.
First contact by a male (if
possible). Is it possible?
Avoiding “system” jargon.
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Effective Father Engagement Strategies
Effective approaches:
• Don’t dwell on emotions.
• “Normalize” their experiences.
• Be action-oriented.
• Fathers are sensitive to power,
respect and control.
• Do not over-promise and
under-deliver.
• Appropriate expressions of anger.
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What’s In It For…
• Broadens circle of family
support by including fathers and
potentially their family/friends
• More “eyes” to survey the
well-being of the child
• Increased informal supports and resources
• Positive well-being outcomes for child
• Promotes family and cultural connection
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Father Friendly Check-up
Tool to help agencies create an environment that
involves non-resident fathers and fosters the healthy
development of children
Seven Assessment Areas
1.
Leadership & Organization Philosophy
2.
Program Management Policies & Procedures
3.
Parent Involvement Program
4.
Program Physical Environment
5.
Staff Training & Professional Development
6.
Collaboration & Organizational Networking
7.
Community Outreach
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Best Practices to Engage Fathers
Reaching out to fathers •
Incarcerated Fathers: finding a voice for the
incarcerated at the table, planning for after-release.
•
Fathers out of jurisdiction: conference call
participation, exploring paternal relative connections.
•
Alleged Fathers and Paternity Issues:
inclusion while paternity is
still an issue, building on
emotional connections,
fictive kin fathers.
•
Teen Fathers: addressing
the cultural needs of unwed
teenage fathers.
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How the QIC-NRF Can Help to Change
Organizational Culture of an Agency
Father Friendly Check-up
Male first contact with Fathers.
Systems collaboration between child welfare, judicial,
child support enforcement, and other relevant systems.
“Bringing Back the Dads” model intervention program
implementation.
Caseworker training on effective male/father engagement.
Family Finding training.
Training for judges and attorneys.
Gathering feedback from stakeholders and consumers.
Dissemination.
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Presenters:
Paul Frankel and Tiffany Mitchell
Child Welfare
American Humane Association
Englewood, Colorado
www.americanhumane.org/protecting-children
To learn more about the Quality Improvement Center on
Non-resident Fathers and the Child Welfare System please
visit our website at www.fatherhoodqic.org.
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Questions & Answers
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