Engaging Fathers and Paternal Family Members

The involvement of fathers and paternal family members is critical to a child's growth and development. Historically, child welfare agencies have not been effective in involving fathers in the family work that is needed to achieve safety, permanency, and well-being.

Increasingly, agencies are focusing on ways to engage and involve fathers and paternal family members, creating greater opportunities for them to be connected in a number of important ways that benefit their children. The following resources address father and paternal family member engagement and include State and local examples.

Bringing Back the Dads: Changing Practices in Child Welfare Systems (PDF - 1,407 KB)
Hahn. (Ed.)
Protecting Children, 26(2), 2011
Presents lessons learned from child welfare researchers and practioners from across the nation from the National Quality Improvement Center on Non-Resident Fathers and the Child Welfare System.

Change Initiative Exemplar Resources Summary: Father Engagement in Child Welfare (PDF - 216 KB)
National Child Welfare Workforce Institute (2010)
Lists indicators of effective father engagement in child welfare in the areas of leadership and organizational philosophy, program management, policies and procedures, parent-involvement program, physical environment of the program, staff training and professional development, collaboration and organizational networking, and community outreach.

Engaging Noncustodial Fathers in Child Welfare Cases: A Guide for Children's Attorneys and Lawyer Guardians ad Litem (PDF - 4,198 KB)
Pilnik & Kendall (2010)
National Quality Improvement Center on Non-Resident Fathers and the Child Welfare System
Offers practice tips to identify and engage nonresident fathers in child clients' cases while keeping the child's best interests at the forefront.

Father Involvement—Meeting CFSR Standards (PDF - 371 KB)
National Family Preservation Network (2010)
Helps child welfare agencies improve their father involvement policies, practices, and outcomes through assessment, staff training, and cultural change. The document includes a father-friendliness organizational self-assessment tool.

Finding Your Way: Guides for Fathers in Child Protection Cases (PDF - 15,808 KB)
American Bar Association and American Humane Association (2011)
Provides important tips for noncustodial fathers involved in child protection cases, focusing on issues such as the father's legal rights, child support and courtroom etiquette. They include information written specifically for fathers on how they can be active participants in their children's case and successfully navigate the child welfare system.

The Importance of Fatherhood in Home Visiting (PDF - 977 KB)
Schuyler Center for Analysis and Advocacy (2012)
Notes recent research that provides strong evidence for the inclusion of fathers in the home visiting process and its positive impact on the health and well-being of young children and new fathers. The issue brief also lists examples of how programs have successfully engaged fathers.

Learning Resources for Father Engagement
North Carolina Division of Social Services, Children's Services Statewide Training Partnership (2013)
Training Matters, 14(2)
Provides social workers in North Carolina with resources highlighting the benefits of healthy father involvement in promoting child development, tools for engaging nonresident fathers, and suggestions for conducting interviews with fathers.

(Back to Top)

State and local examples

Father Engagement (PDF - 90 KB)
Iowa Department of Human Services (2008)
Explains expectations for caseworkers to engage fathers in the child welfare system and provides key considerations and strategies for involving fathers in every phase of the case, including assessment, case planning, and case closure.

(Back to Top)