What has been effective to engage What has been effective to engage non-resident fathers:non-resident fathers:

Seek first to understand Recognize and acknowledge his

previous experience with support systems

Help him understand his role in the life of his child and how important it is.

Acknowledge the power in your position along with empowering the father

“That’s the main issue I see with the father’s I work with. Most of them had little or no father in their life and they learned that their vision of a father is not the reality of how to be a father and they don’t know how to make the transition. It’s difficult to get these guys to adapt or use different tools they have never used. I tell the fathers I work with I personally try to do two things as a father myself.

1. The things my father did that were positive and I look back and enjoyed as a kid I continue to do with my kids.2. The things my father did that bothered me and still sticks with me today, I don’t do them. I work hard to replace them by doing the things with my kids I wished I would have done with my father. (The best thing about this is I give my kids something money can’t buy, Great memories which in time replaces the negative ones with my dad healing us all!)” -Jimmy Tucker, Children’s Services Social Worker

Ask the father, “How would you like your child to remember you 10 to 15 years from now?”

Remind the father that he is a role model for his child (he may not have had that) …breaking the chain of fatherlessness

Common Challenges to Non-Common Challenges to Non-Resident Father EngagementResident Father Engagement

Expressions of anger Co-parenting and parental conflict

with the mother Multiple issues: unemployment,

housing, court involvement, substance abuse, mental health, domestic violence

Important things to consider in Important things to consider in moving forward:moving forward:

How do we help a father understand that he is important to the well being of his child?

What services do fathers need to address barriers? What strategies do we use to develop a working relationship

with a father? Understanding the need for a father to share his past

experience with support systems. Understanding male anger. Explaining the process and expectation for a father and what

his role is. How do we empower fathers by our own actions?

The more complex an issue, the more The more complex an issue, the more time and information may be needed to time and information may be needed to

move to the next stage.move to the next stage.

There are many ways for your organization to engage fathers in programming.

Engaging fathers begins with a holistic approach to becoming father-friendly. Father inclusion should be a priority for the entire organization’s agenda and be stressed in leadership development, program development and community engagement.

Children’s Administration Program Children’s Administration Program Improvement Plan for Father Improvement Plan for Father

EngagementEngagement

State wide father engagement coordination

Regional father engagement program manager

Office father liaisons for advocacy and consultation

Mandatory training on father engagement for all staff

Informational guides for fathers for the child welfare system and juvenile court process

Father engagement and parent education groups facilitated by a veteran father of this system

Community partner training and collaboration

“The primary task of every civilization is to teach the young men to be fathers.”

-Margaret Mead

Jonah Idczakidjo300@dshs.wa.gov(206) 639-6212Father Engagement Specialist, Children’s Administration

Shayne Rochestershayne.rochester@yahoo.com(425) 622-6928Snohomish County Parent Advocacy Committee MemberFatherhood Engagement Facilitator‘Life During CPS’ Facilitator ‘Parent for Parent’ Parent MentorPerinatal Treatment Services Family Case Manager

Websites Related to Engaging Websites Related to Engaging Fathers Fathers 

What About the Dads? A website with resources for fathershttp://adai.washington.edu/familypartnership/

‘Including Fathers’ Video http://uwtv.org/watch/16219667/  National Fatherhood Initiativewww.fatherhood.org National Responsible Fathers Clearinghousewww.fatherhood.gov US DHHS Administration for Children & Families Fatherhood Resourceshttp://www.childwelfare.gov/preventing/promoting/fatherhood.cfm

Group DiscussionsGroup Discussions

In your agency… What are the barriers to working with Fathers? For example, personal barriers? Institutional barriers? Other? What are action steps you can take within your agency to overcome these barriers— in the next month? Over the next year? Over the next 5 years?