Brief Encouraging Responsible Parenting among Fathers with Histories of Incarceration
Subtitle
Activities and Lessons from Six Responsible Fatherhood Programs
Jocelyn Fontaine, Lindsey Cramer, Ellen Paddock
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Fathers find it difficult to maintain their relationships with their children during and after their incarceration experience. To help fathers sustain and strengthen their relationships with their children, six Office of Family Assistance-funded Fatherhood Reentry programs implemented a range of activities intended to build fathers’ knowledge of parenting and child development, increase fathers’ contact and communication with their children and families, and help reduce fathers’ barriers to reunifying with their children. This implementation evaluation documented these activities and services, which included parenting classes, support groups, family contact visits, video diaries, special events, child care services, and assistance navigating child support issues. Drawing on the six programs’ implementation experiences, this brief recommends that providers use a range of parenting activities that offer fathers several tools to help reunify with their children and that providers address fathers’ economic stability needs as part of the child/family reunification process.
Research and Evidence Justice and Safety Work, Education, and Labor Tax and Income Supports Family and Financial Well-Being
Expertise Families Nonprofits and Philanthropy Courts, Corrections, and Reentry Early Childhood
Tags Economic well-being Corrections Job training Children and youth