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Supporting Young Parents Toolkit

 

Supporting Young Fathers

While most attention and efforts are focused on mothers and babies, fathers are equally vital to developing healthy and self-sufficient young families. These resources can aid efforts to understand, engage, and serve young fathers in your community.

Trends and Research

The Rise of Single Fathers

This article from the Pew Research Center provides data and discusses the dramatic increase in the number of single father households from 1960-2011.

Article

Growing Number of Dads Home with the Kids

Here the Pew Research Center provides an overview of the rise of fathers staying at home to care for children.

Article

5 Ways Fathers Matter

In this blog post, Child Trends briefly summarizes what research has to say about the ways fathers make a difference in the lives of their children.

Research Summary

Modern Dads Rock, But a New Report Shows They Need More Support

Parents magazine describes research into the importance of men's involvement in children's lives.

Article

Millennial Fathers Are Rejecting the "Bad Dad" Stereotype

In this 2018 World Economic Forum article, the author discusses the outdated ways film and television portray fathers -- and how that needs to change.

Article

Preventing and Addressing Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) when Engaging Dads

This Child Trends report presents information about the approaches that federal Responsible Fatherhood programs take to providing IPV-related services. It also discusses challenges and successes to providing these services, promising practices, and areas for growth.

Research Report

Resources

Find a Parenting Program in Your Community

The New York State Parenting Education Partnership maintains a database of parenting education programs and other human services by county.

Directory

Supporting Young Fathers' Engagement with Their Children

This tip sheet from the Office of Adolescent Health outlines effective program elements and provides resources for engaging fathers.

Tip Sheet

Resources for Serving Young Fathers

Developed by the Office of Adolescent Health, the resources in this toolkit provide a comprehensive approach for including young fathers in programming.

Toolkit

Co-Parenting: Resources and Best Practices for Service Providers

This resource begins with a description of the importance of co-parenting and its association with child well-being, and is followed by suggestions for how best to support young fathers and other caregivers in co-parenting programming services. U.S. Department of Health & Human Services.

Tip Sheet

Communication & Co-Parenting Strategies for Working with Young Parents

Healthy Teen Network (HTN) can help you communicate more effectively with young parents, support co-parenting efforts, and engage fathers in programming. Whether you're looking for a training, introductory presentations, or more in-depth technical assistance, HTN can help you build your capacity to support and empower young parents.

Training and Technical Assistance Opportunities

National Fatherhood Initiative

The National Fatherhood Initiative is a capacity-building organization that works to increase the positive presence of fathers in the lives of children. The initiative provides information for state and community-based initiatives, research-based programs for working with incarcerated fathers, and resources for fathers in the military. An extensive list of free resources is included on the website.

Website

National Responsible Fatherhood Clearinghouse

This website from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is dedicated to promoting responsible fatherhood and strong communities. This site links to articles, statistics, promising practices, an extensive toolkit for professionals, and state profiles, among many other valuable resources.

Clearinghouse

Step by Step: Engaging Fathers in Programs for Families

This guide from the Best Start Resource Centre describes the importance of involving fathers in family support programs, understanding diversity, and assessing your organization's father-friendliness, along with marketing strategies, signs of success, and key issues to keep in mind.

Manual

A Driver's Manual for New Dads

Developed by the New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA), this resource guide provides information and tips for new fathers. The manual covers all stages of early fatherhood, including working with and understanding the child's mother, and what to do when the baby arrives.

Manual - English

Manual - Spanish

Fatherhood E-Learning Module

This E-Learning Module from the Office of Adolescent Health provides an overview of key insights and data on the unique and irreplaceable role fathers play in the well-being of their children. This course will also help participants consider opportunities to involve fathers.

E-Learning Module

Establishing Paternity (NYS)

If a child's parents are not legally married at the time of birth, the law does not recognize the father as the child's legal father and does not give him any rights to or responsibilities for the child. You can take steps so the biological father is recognized as the legal father, which is what establishing paternity is all about.

Brief Guide - English

Brief Guide - Spanish

Verywellfamily: Single Parenting

This collection of articles covers a range of topics for single parents, including establishing paternity, raising a daughter, and much more.

Articles

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