The importance of father engagement and how it leads to healthier outcomes for children and families.
Research shows that the engagement of fathers and male family members can lead to healthier outcomes for children and families. Programs, children, and families benefit when fathers are considered partners in their child’s learning and development.
Fathers who are deeply involved in their children’s lives:
- Are competent caregivers of infants
- Interact differently with their children than mothers do
- Contribute to their child’s development, including school readiness
- Support the positive parenting of mothers
- Contribute to the well-being of the family
- Show positive gains in their own development and life decisions
Honor and acknowledge the important things that fathers have to offer. It’s an important part of building positive relationships with them. Our staff can demonstrate genuine curiosity and respect for the unique strengths, talents, cultures, goals, and circumstances of fathers.
Father-engagement strategies will help program staff think about how to ensure fathers feel respected as equal contributors in child-rearing and in early childhood programs. It provides information that can be applied quickly to enhance father engagement.
New resources and strategies will continue to be added to help programs in their efforts to engage fathers.
The above was pulled (and slightly edited) from here for place-holder purposes.