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Father Involvement in the Lives of their Children

Research has shown that when both parents are actively and positively involved in their children’s lives, children are more likely to lead healthy, productive lives. Over the past several years, many initiatives have been started to foster the positive involvement of fathers with their children. The following resources provide a sample of information on father involvement. The document is divided into the following sections:

Father Involvement in the Education of Their Children: Publications with Federal Funding

  • Promoting Responsible Fatherhood through Child Care (2004), developed by the National Child Care Information Center (NCCIC) for the Child Care Bureau (CCB), Administration for Children and Families (ACF), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), documents research about the importance of having fathers involved in the education and support of their children and lists publications and organizations with additional information on the topic. This resource is available on the Web at http://nccic.acf.hhs.gov/pubs/resp-fatherhood.pdf.

  • Fathers and Father-Figures: Their Important Role in Children's Social and Emotional Development (2004), What Works Briefs No. 16, by M.M. Ostrosky, R.M. Corso, and A. Queensberry, published by the Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning, describes the impact of fathers on children’s social and emotional development in three areas: engagement and interaction, availability and accessibility, and day-to-day care. A handout outlines what is known about how fathers impact children’s development and what early child care providers can do to support father involvement. This resource is available on the Web in English at http://www.csefel.uiuc.edu/briefs/wwb16.html, and in Spanish [Padres y figuras paternas: el papel importante en el desarrollo social y emocional de los niños por] at http://www.csefel.uiuc.edu/briefs/wwb16-sp.html.

  • Fathers’ and Mothers’ Involvement in Their Children’s Schools by Family Type and Resident Status (May 2001), by the National Center for Education Statistics,uses data from the 1996 National Household Education Survey to address questions about the level of involvement of parents with their children’s schools and the relationship between involvement and student outcomes. The report looks at differences in fathers’ and mothers’ involvement by family and parent type. It also examines differences in nonresident fathers’ and mothers’ involvement with their children’s schools. This resource is available on the Web at http://www.nces.ed.gov/pubs2001/2001032.pdf.

  • Hispanic Fathers and Family Literacy: Strengthening Achievement in Hispanic Communities (December 2000), prepared by the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities for the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), under a cooperative agreement with the Office of Minority Health, reports on a dialogue with community providers of services for Hispanic fathers, national Hispanic organizations, literacy programs, and advocates for fatherhood held on January 13, 2000. This resource is available on the Web at http://fatherhood.hhs.gov/hispanic01/index.htm.

  • A Call to Commitment: Fathers’ Involvement in Children’s Learning (June 2000), by National Center for Fathering, for the U.S. Department of Education and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, promotes and celebrates fathers' increased participation in children's learning. Benefits of family involvement, strategies to improve involvement, and examples of programs are included. This resource is available on the Web at http://www.ed.gov/pubs/parents/calltocommit/fathers.pdf.

Father Involvement in the Education of Their Children: Additional Publications

  • “Directors’ Perceptions About Male Involvement in Early Childhood Programs” (Summer 2004), Research Notes, published by the Center for Early Childhood Leadership, National-Louis University, summarized key findings of a study of 336 directors of early care and education programs in 17 States who recruit, orient, and supervise early childhood teaching staff about their perceptions about male involvement in early childhood programs. This resource is available on the Web at http://cecl.nl.edu/research/issues/rn_summer2004.pdf.

  • Fathers and Early Childhood Programs (2004), by Jay Fagan and Glen Palm, published by Early Childhood at Thomson Delmar Learning, introduces critical issues that are being studied about fathers in the social sciences. It reviews research regarding father involvement in programs for young children and presents the results of 33 in-depth interviews. It describes strategies for involving fathers in early childhood programs that can be translated into approaches for increasing father participation. Additional information is available on the Web here.

  • “Reaching Out to Fathers: An Examination of Staff Efforts That Lead to Greater Father Involvement in Early Childhood Programs” (Fall 2003), in Early Childhood Research and Practice Vol. 5, No. 2, by Stephen Green, published by the Early Childhood and Parenting Collaborative (ECAP), studies early childhood educators’ efforts to involve fathers in their programs and examines which program efforts lead to greater father involvement. Surveys were completed by 213 early childhood educators attending regional training events. Findings demonstrate that efforts are being made in a number of areas to increase father involvement. Three factors significantly account for early childhood educators' success at involving fathers: including the father's name on the enrollment form, sending written correspondence to fathers even if they live apart from their children, and inviting fathers to the center to participate in educational activities with their children. This resource is available on the Web at http://ecrp.uiuc.edu/v5n2/green.html.

  • “Engaging Fathers: Issues and Consideration for Early Childhood Educators” (November 2002), in Young Children Vol. 57, No. 6, by Aisha Ray and Vivian Gadsden, published by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), discusses what early childhood programs can do to engage fathers in their children’s lives. The article covers the work of fathering programs, differences in maternal and paternal caregiving styles, co-parenting compacts, and fathers participating in literacy and other learning activities with their children at home or in school. Additional information is available on the Web at http://www.journal.naeyc.org/search/item-detail.asp?page=1&docID=2805&sesID=1099407051432.

  • “Fathers Caring for Their Children (September 2001), Child Care Connections Vol. 10, No. 1, University of Wisconsin–Extension, looks at the changing role of fathers as they care for their children and suggests ways to involve fathers in child care. This resource is available on the Web at http://www.uwex.edu/ces/flp/ece/tips/pdfs/connect0901.pdf.

  • “Involving Fathers” (2001), Connections Vol. 10, No. 1, published by the National Network for Child Care, offers practical suggestions for helping child care providers become more effective in their work with children and their fathers. Links to Vol. 10, No. 1 of the Family Child Care Connections, the Child Care Center Connections, and the School-Age Connections are available on the Web at http://fcs.tamu.edu/families/child_care/connections_newsletters.php#Child.

  • “The Good Business of Being Father-Friendly—Does Your Business Welcome Male Customers?” (September/October 2000), in Child Care Information Exchange,describes six areas of father-friendly service in child care. For additional information, contact Child Care Information Exchange at 800-221-2864 or on the Web at http://www.ccie.com.

  • “Fathers’ Involvement in Programs for Young Children” (July 2000), in Young Children Vol. 55, No. 4, by Vicki P. Turbeville, Gardner T. Umbarger, and Anne C. Guthrie, published by NAEYC, discusses such barriers as work schedules, different interactional styles, and the perceptions others hold of male power. It concludes that programs can better facilitate participation by building on fathers’ needs, respecting that they do have an interest, listening to them, and also rethinking the definition of involvement. For additional information, contact NAEYC at 800-424-2460 on the Web at http://www.journal.naeyc.org/search/item-detail.asp?page=1&docID=2483&sesID=1101303977707.

  • Father-Friendliness Organizational Self-Assessment and Planning Tool (2000), by Nigel Vann and Joann Nelson-Hooks, for the National Center for Strategic Nonprofit Planning and Community Leadership (NPCL), in partnership with the National Head Start Association (NHSA); Region V, Administration for Children and Families, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; and the Division of Child Support Enforcement, Illinois Department of Public Aid, helps Head Start and other family service programs assess their organization’s readiness to provide services to fathers and father figures. The self-assessment package includes an Organizational Self-Assessment tool and an Action Plan for Becoming More Father Friendly. The assessment considers seven categories— Organizational Support; Position and Reputation in the Community; Agency Policies and Procedures; Staffing/Human Resources; Program Services; Physical Environment; and Communication and Interaction. This resource is available on the Web at http://www.nhsa.org/parents/parents_father_assess.htm.

  • My Daddy Takes Care of Me! Fathers as Care Providers (1997), produced by the Census Bureau, looks at fathers caring for their children during mothers' working hours and examines which types of fathers are the most likely to take care of their children. This resource is available on the Web at http://www.census.gov/prod/3/97pubs/p70-59.pdf.

Father Involvement in Head Start and Early Head Start: Publications with Federal Support

  • Father Involvement—Building Strong Programs for Strong Families (June 2004) Head Start Bulletin No. 77, by the Head Start Bureau, Administration for Children and Youth, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is an issue dedicated to father involvement in Head Start. It provides a series of article on why fathers matter and current research findings; on getting fathers involved in Head Start; on building a foundation to work with fathers; and on planning and supporting successful fatherhood programs. Key articles in this issue include:
    • “The Building Blocks for Successful Father Involvement in Head Start,” by Glenn Stanton describes The Building Blocks for Father Involvement series of five booklets designed to assist Head Start programs in developing and sustaining a father involvement program. The Building Blocks help programs understand why fathers are essential for healthy child development and has information about how to expand and sustain fatherhood involvement programs and evaluate program efforts. This information is available on the Web at http://www.headstartinfo.org/publications/hsbulletin77/hsb77_03.htm.

    • “Father Friendly Environmental Assessment” is designed to help programs provide services to fathers and support their involvement in the lives of their children. This resource is available on the Web at http://www.headstartinfo.org/publications/hsbulletin77/hsb77_11.htm.  

    • “Father Involvement: Building Strong Programs for Strong Families” includes information on why fathers matter and current research findings; the important questions and obstacles a Head Start program must address; lessons learned from the fatherhood demonstration projects in Early Head Start; descriptions of six fatherhood programs from around the country; and ways programs can support family literacy. This resource is available on the Web at http://www.headstartinfo.org/pdf/father_involvement.pdf.

      Links to additional articles in this issue are available on the Web at http://www.headstartinfo.org/publications/hsbulletin77/cont_77.htm, For more copies of the Head Start Bulletin, contact the Head Start Information and Publication Center at 866-763-6481 or on the Web at http://www.headstartinfo.org.


  • Early Head Start Father Studies Papers/Presentations (December 2002), by the Early Head Start Father Studies Workgroup, is a bibliography of papers, presentations, and research studies presented or published by the Early Head Start Research Consortium members through December 31, 2002. This resource is available on the Web at http://fatherhood.hhs.gov/on-going/headstart.htm.

  • Fatherhood Initiative: Resource Guide (December 2001), available from the Head Start Information & Publication Center, assists the Head Start community in its effort to support the Fatherhood Initiative, which was launched in 1995 to strengthen the role of fathers in families. This Resource Guide includes a selection of journal articles, a selected list of books and reports, and a selection of virtual sites that provide additional information on the Fatherhood Initiative and Male Involvement. This resource is available on the Web at http://www.headstartinfo.org/pdf/FatherhoodInitiative.pdf.

Father Involvement in Head Start and Early Head Start: Additional Publications

  • “Predictors of Father and Father-Figure Involvement in Pre-Kindergarten Head Start” (2003), an NCOFF Brief, by the National Center on Fathers and Families (NCOFF),uses an ecological framework to examine predictors of paternal involvement in urban Head Start programs among 134 fathers and father figures with preschool-age children. Paternal involvement measures include teacher and father perceptions of participation, as well as amount of time as obtained from daily record sheets. The findings of the study indicate that characteristics of the child, father, family, and Head Start program predict paternal involvement in Head Start. Fathers are more involved with their sons and with Head Start sites that provide programmatic support for male involvement. Involvement is also positively related to paternal nurturance and mother involvement in Head Start. The results also suggest that teachers are better judges than fathers of the amount of involvement in Head Start. This resource is available on the Web at http://www.ncoff.gse.upenn.edu/briefs/faganbrief.pdf.

  • Understanding Fathering: The Early Head Start Study of Fathers of Newborns (May 2003), by Cheri A. Vogel, Kimberly Boller, Jennifer Faerber, Jacqueline D. Shannon, and Catherine S. Tamis-LeMonda, published by Mathematica Policy Research, Inc., focused on how low-income families contribute to their children’s development and understanding the factors that affect fathers’ continuing support of and engagement in relationships with their children—even if the mother-father relationship ends. It explored who the fathers are; what their level of involvement with their families and children is; and how and why involvement changes over time. This resource is available on the Web at http://www.mathematica-mpr.com/publications/PDFs/ehsnewborns.pdf.

  • Father Involvement in Early Head Start Programs: A Practitioners Study (2002), by Helen Raikes, Kimberly Boller, Welmoet vanKammen, JeanAnn Summers, Abbie Raikes, Debbie Laible, Brian Wilcox, Lenna Ontai, and Lanette Christensen, published by Mathematica Policy Research Inc., presents findings from a survey of Early Head Start program practices concerning father involvement. Findings revealed variation among the programs with respect to the fathers served, goals for programs, program strategies for involving fathers, barriers, and the involvement of the fathers in the programs. Some of the variation occurred as a result of program stage of development. The report offers recommendations to encourage father involvement in Early Head Start programs. This resource is available on the Web at http://ccfl.unl.edu/projects/pdf/Final_Father_Involvement_Report.pdf.

Father Involvement in the Care and Support of Their Children

  • Sustaining and Growing Father Involvement for Low-Income Children (December 2005), Policy Brief, No. 14, by the Family Strengthening Policy Center, National Human Services Assembly, looks at effective father-involvement programs. It calls for policies that address disadvantaged fathers' needs for employment services and other supports. This resource is available on the Web at http://www.nassembly.org/fspc/practice/documents/Fathersbrief.pdf.

  • “Unmarried African-American Fathers’ Involvement with Their Infants: The Role of Couple Relationships” (January 2004), a Fragile Families Research Brief No. 21, by the Bendheim-Thoman Center for Research on Child Wellbeing, Princeton University Social Indicators Survey Center, Columbia University, looks at the factors that are associated with the variation in levels of fathers’ involvement around the time of a child’s birth, with special attention paid to the mother-father relationship. This brief is based on extensive in-person observational data, as well as survey data, from 55 unmarried low-income African-American mothers and fathers who were part of the Fragile Families study. This resource is available on the Web at http://crcw.princeton.edu/files/briefs/ResearchBrief21.pdf.

  • The Fatherhood, Marriage and Family Supports Advisory Group: Report and Recommendations (January 2004), presented to the Iowa General Assembly and Governor Thomas J. Vilsack by the Iowa Fatherhood, Marriage and Family Supports Advisory Group, Iowa Department of Human Services (DHS), describes the results of 25 focus groups in which Iowans were asked about their opinions on marriage, fatherhood, and family formation. Strategies were identified as examples of what can be done to impact families, fatherhood, and marriage with a focus on what is best for the children. This resource is available on the Web at http://www.dhs.state.ia.us/fatherhood/docs/FMFSAGroup%20Final%20Report.pdf.

  • Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study: Baseline Report (revised March 2003), by Sara McLanahan, Irwin Garfinkel, Nancy E. Reichman, Julien Teitler, Marcia Carlson, and Christina Norland Audigier, the Center for Research on Child Wellbeing, Princeton University, follows a new birth cohort of approximately 5,000 children and their parents in an effort to learn more about unmarried parents and their children. This resource is available on the Web at http://crcw.princeton.edu/fragilefamilies/nationalreport.pdf.

  • “Annotated Bibliography: Fatherhood” (August 2002), a Research to Practice (R2P), by Child Welfare League of America, describes a variety of studies that look at fatherhood. Each entry includes a description of the fatherhood project or program, location, number served, and purpose of the program; how the study was conducted, who was involved, what instruments were used, and the rates of and reasons for attrition; the findings; and an R2P evaluation. This resource is available on the Web at http://www.cwla.org/programs/r2p/bibliofa.pdf.

  • “Addressing the Needs of Noncustodial Fathers” (June 2002), Resources For Welfare Decisions Vol. 6, No. 10, by Welfare Information Network (WIN), identifies recent publications and electronic information sources about programs that assist noncustodial fathers to meet their obligations to their children. This resource is available on the Web at http://www.financeprojectinfo.org/publications/noncustodialfathersrn.htm.

  • “Promoting Responsible Fatherhood: Some Promising Strategies” (March 2002), Policy Report, by Megan Burns, Progressive Policy Institute(PPI), looks at promoting responsible fatherhood by extending to fathers of poor children the same work obligation placed on women. This would allow fathers to pay child support and also promote responsible fatherhood by involving fathers in their children’s lives. This resource is available on the Web at http://www.ppionline.org/ndol/print.cfm?contentid=250290.

  • Charting Parenthood: A Statistical Portrait of Fathers and Mothers in America (2002), published by Child Trends, offers data that include both men and women, fathers and mothers, for more than 40 indicators of parenting, fertility, and family formation. The data also provide insights into the value men place on family life and childrearing, and on the multiple contributions that fathers can make to the lives of children. This resource is available on the Web at http://fatherhood.hhs.gov/charting02/index.htm.

  • Measuring Father Involvement in Young Children's Lives: Recommendations for a Fatherhood Module for the ECLS-B [Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Birth Cohort] (2001), by Angela D. Greene, Tamara Halle, Suzanne M. Le Menestrel, and Kristin A. Moore, published by the National Center for Education Statistics, identifies what is known and not known about the contributions of fathers' involvement in very young children's lives. It provides an overview of the relationship between father involvement and behavioral and cognitive outcomes among young children and identifies aspects of father involvement that should be measured in the early years of a child's life that would help the understanding and facilitation of the beneficial effects of father involvement on school outcomes. It describes variations in father involvement along the continuum of resident and non-resident fathers with attention to socioeconomic, ethnic, and cultural variations, as well as incentives and barriers to father involvement. This resource is available on the Web at http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2001/200102.pdf.

  • “Welfare Reform, Fertility, and Father Involvement” (Winter/Spring 2002), in The Future of Children: Children and Welfare Reform, Sara S. McLanahan and Marcia J. Carlson, published by the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, focuses on the important role that fathers play in children’s lives and how public policies have affected childbearing and father involvement. This resource is available on the Web at http://www.futureofchildren.org/usr_doc/6-mclanahan.pdf.  

  • The Challenge of Helping Low-Income Fathers Support Their Children: Final Lessons from Parents’ Fair Share (November 2001), by Cynthia Miller and Virginia Knoxby, published by Manpower Demonstration Research Corporation (MDRC), synthesizes the key findings of Parents’ Fair Share (PFS), a national demonstration program that aimed to help low-income noncustodial fathers find more stable and better-paying jobs, pay child support on a consistent basis, and become more involved parents. The key findings were used to formulate several recommendations for the next generation of fatherhood programs. This resource is available on the Web at http://www.mdrc.org/Reports2001/PFS/PFSHelpingFathers.pdf.

  • Fathers’ Activities with Their Kids: Research Brief (June 2001), published by Child Trends, highlights data that indicate that fathers who live with their children are involved in their children’s lives in four key areas: general activities, school activities, limit-setting, and religious activities. This resource is available on the Web at http://www.childtrends.org/Files/June_2001.pdf.

  • How Do Social, Economic and Cultural Factors Influence Fathers’ Involvement with their Children? (May 1999), by Child Trends, Inc., summarizes key research findings on the ways in which various factors influence father’s involvement in their children’s lives. This resource is available on the Web at http://www.childtrends.org/Files/dadinfluence.pdf.

  • What Do Fathers Contribute to Children’s Well-Being? (May 1999), by Child Trends, Inc., summarizes key research findings on the relationship between father involvement and child outcomes.This resource is available on the Web at http://www.childtrends.org/Files/dadchild.pdf.

Federal Agencies

  • U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
    Fatherhood Initiative
    World Wide Web: http://fatherhood.hhs.gov/index.shtml

    HHS has developed a special initiative to support and strengthen the roles of fathers in families. The Department strongly supports family preservation and reunification efforts when they do not risk the safety of the child. Topics covered on this Web site include: Improving Opportunities for Low-Income Fathers, Caring for Young Children, Fathers & Children’s Health, Toolkit for Fatherhood, Around the Regions, Federal Interagency Forum on Child & Family Statistics, Research, and Program Evaluations.

  • Head Start Bureau (HSB)
    Administration for Children and Families (ACF)
    U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
    202-205-8572
    World Wide Web: http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/hsb/

    Head Start is a nationwide early childhood program for low-income preschool children, designed to provide comprehensive services in preparation for public school. It has served low-income children and their families since 1965. Resources in the Head Start Fatherhood Initiative include:
    • Fatherhood Initiative Resource Guide (2003) includes a selection of journal articles, books and reports, and virtual sites that provide additional information focusing on the Fatherhood Initiative and Male Involvement. Information about this initiative is available on the Web at http://www.headstartinfo.org/infocenter/guides/father_intro.htm.

    • The Early Head Start Research and Evaluation Project has launched research relating to the role low-income fathers play in the lives of their infants and toddlers, in their families, and in the Early Head Start programs in which they participate. The Early Head Start Father Studies are among the first to investigate involvement of low-income fathers in children’s lives, together with mother involvement, in the context of both an intervention program for infants and toddlers and a longitudinal study. The Early Head Start Father Studies focus on biological fathers as well as father figures (sometimes referred to as “social fathers”). Additional information is available on the Web at http://www.mathematica-mpr.com/earlycare/fatheroverview.asp.

National Organizations

  • American Coalition for Fathers and Children (ACFC)
    800-978-DADS (800-978-3237)
    World Wide Web: http://acfc.org

    ACFC focuses on the creation of a family law system, legislative system, and public awareness that promotes equal rights for both parents affected by divorce, and the breakup of a family or establishment of paternity.

  • Center for Fathers, Families and Public Policy (CFFPP)
    608-257-3148
    World Wide Web: http://www.cffpp.org

    CFFPP is a training, technical assistance, and public education organization aimed at helping to create a society in which parents—both mothers and fathers—can support their children physically, emotionally, and financially. The organization challenges the negative public perception of low-income fathers who in reality have much to contribute to their children in the way of emotional and developmental support. There is a strong emphasis on child welfare issues, and the organization sees the establishment of paternity and child support enforcement as central issues for involving men in the lives of their children. CFFPP publishes a newsletter entitled Issues and Insights and has also published other materials, including an extensive Curriculum for Young Fathers.

  • Child Trends, Inc.
    202-362-5580
    World Wide Web:http://www.childtrends.org

    Child Trends, Inc. is a nonprofit, nonpartisan research organization dedicated to studying children, youth, and families through research, data collection, and data analyses. Information about their resources on fatherhood is available on the Web at the Child Trends web site.

  • Children, Youth & Family Consortium (CYFC)
    612-626-1212
    World Wide Web: http://www.cyfc.umn.edu/welcome.html

    CYFC was established to bring together the varied competencies of the University of Minnesota and the vital resources of Minnesota’s communities to enhance the ability of individuals and organizations to address critical health, education, and social policy concerns in ways that improve the well-being of Minnesota children, youth, and families. Information about family relationships and parenting is available on the Web at http://www.cyfc.umn.edu/family/index.html.

  • Fragile Families and Child Well-Being Study
    The Center for Research on Child Wellbeing (CRCW)
    609-258-5894
    World Wide Web: http://crcw.princeton.edu/fragilefamilies/index.asp

    The Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study is a joint effort by Princeton University’s Center for Research on Child Wellbeing (CRCW) and Columbia University’s Social Indicators Survey Center (SIS Center). The Fragile Families and Child Well-Being Study addresses nonmarital childbearing, child development, family formation, the impact of welfare reform, and the role of fathers in low-income families. The baseline survey was done in 1999: follow-up surveys will occur at 12, 34, and 54 months after the child’s birth.

  • Mathematica Policy Research, Inc.
    202-484-9220
    World Wide Web: http://www.mathematica-mpr.com

    Mathematica Policy Research, Inc. provides objective research to support decisions about pressing social policy problems. The firm has conducted studies of health care, welfare, education, employment, nutrition, and early childhood policies and programs in the United States. Current projects include:
    • Building Strong Families Project (BSF)is an initiative to develop and evaluate programs designed to help interested unwed parents achieve their aspirations for healthy marriage and a stable family life. This Web site is designed to help programs that participate in the evaluation, and other interested parties, learn about the progress of the evaluation and the kinds of services that are being tested. The project will run from 2002 to 2011. Additional information is available on the Web at http://www.buildingstrongfamilies.info.

    • Fatherhood Research in the Early Head Start (EHS): Research and Evaluation Project focuseson the role of low-income fathers in the lives of their children and families. In 2001, 21 EHS grantees launched fatherhood demonstration programs to develop and implement practices that increase involvement of fathers in their children’s lives and help them meet their parental responsibilities. Additional information is available on the Web at http://www.mathematica-mpr.com/earlycare/ehstoc.asp.

  • National Center for Fathering
    800-593-DADS
    World Wide Web: http://www.fathers.com

    The National Center for Fathering was founded in 1990 to conduct research on fathering and to develop practical resources for dads in nearly every fathering situation. Their primary goal is to help men be better fathers.

  • National Center on Fathers and Families (NCOFF)
    University of Pennsylvania
    215-573-5500
    World Wide Web: http://www.ncoff.gse.upenn.edu

    The goal of NCOFF is to improve the life chances of children and the efficacy of families and to support the conduct and dissemination of research that advances the understanding of father involvement. NCOFF sponsors the NCOFF FatherLit Database, which is a compilation of citations, annotations, and abstracts for over 8,500 basic and policy research publications on fathers, families, and child welfare. The works cited include empirical, conceptual, and clinical research, varied in analytical depth and intended for diverse audiences. The Database is divided into seven libraries: Father Care, Father Presence Matters, Joblessness and Unemployment, Systematic Barriers, Co-Parenting, Role Transitions, and Intergenerational Learning. This database is available on the Web at http://fatherfamilylink.gse.upenn.edu/fatherlit/index.html.

  • National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL)
    202-624-5400
    World Wide Web: http://www.ncsl.org

    NCSL is a forum for advancing ideas in individual States, across other States, and on Capitol Hill; for promoting information-sharing, one-on-one and collectively; and for providing legislators with the knowledge and resources they need to get America’s ideas working. It’s Topic Page, Marriage, Fatherhood and Family Formation,provides information and Internet links to resources on the Web relating to the topic of fatherhood. This resource is available on the Web at http://www.ncsl.org/statefed/WELFARE/familyform.htm.

  • National Fatherhood Initiative (NFI)
    301-948-0599
    World Wide Web: http://www.fatherhood.org

    NFI is a nonprofit organization that conducts public awareness campaigns promoting responsible fatherhood; organizes conferences and community fatherhood forums; provides resource materials to organizations seeking to establish support programs for fathers; publishes a quarterly newsletter; and disseminates material to men seeking to become more effective fathers.

  • National Fathers’ Network (NFN)
    425-747-4004
    World Wide Web:http://www.fathersnetwork.org

    NFN, a nonprofit organization funded by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau, advocates for men and their families who have children with special needs. NFN develops support programs, produces curriculum and trainings for health care providers and educators, and provides a wealth of other innovative resources.

  • National Governors Association (NGA)
    202-624-5300
    World Wide Web: http://www.nga.org

    NGA provides governors and their senior staff members with services that range from representing States on Capitol Hill and before the Administration on key Federal issues to developing policy reports on innovative State programs and hosting networking seminars for State government executive branch officials. The Fatherhood section on NGA’s Web site provides information on the issue, NGA’s position, the current status of fatherhood legislation, and a link to NGA’s Fatherhood Policy reference. This resource is available on the Web here.

  • National Head Start Association (NHSA)
    703-739-0875
    World Wide Web: http://www.nhsa.org/

    NHSA is a private nonprofit membership organization representing more than 900,000 children, 190,000 staff and 2,500 Head Start programs in America. It provides a national forum for the continued enhancement of Head Start services for children prenatal through age 5 and their families. The NHSA Male and Father-Involvement Initiative (MaFI)’s mission is to define and implement strategies for increasing and improving Head Start programs’ support of, and interaction with, Head Start males and fathers. The initiative includes the following resources:

Additional information is available on the Web at http://www.nhsa.org/parents/index.htm.

  • National Latino Fatherhood and Family Institute (NLFFI)
    323-728-7770
    World Wide Web: http://www.nlffi.org

    NLFFI focuses on addressing the multifaceted needs of Latino males as they relate to their positive involvement in their families and community. Through research, training, and direct service, NLFFI analyzes the development of fathers as active positive partners of their children in the areas of nurturing, guidance, and education. In addition, NLFFI addresses the aspects of child abuse, domestic violence, gang violence, school failure, illiteracy, teen pregnancy, and other related issues.

  • National Partnership for Community Leadership (NPCL)
    202-822-6725
    World Wide Web: http://www.npcl.org

    NPCL focuses on improving the governance and administration of nonprofit organizations and strengthening community leadership through family and neighborhood empowerment. Information about the Responsible Fatherhood and Fragile Families Capacity Building Project, a project of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), which is managed by NPCL, is available on the Web at http://www.npcl.org/program/HUDFather.htm.

  • The National Practitioners Network for Fathers and Families, Inc. (NPNFF)
    World Wide Web: http://www.npnff.org/

    NPNFF is the national individual membership organization whose mission is to build the profession of practitioners who are working to increase the responsible involvement of fathers in the lives of their children. NPNFF’s programs and services are designed to foster communication, promote professionalism, and enhance collaboration among individuals working with fathers and fragile families.

Updated May 2006