Father involvement is important for children's development but fathers are often overlooked. The document discusses how father involvement is associated with: fewer behavior problems in children; better social/emotional development like empathy, self-esteem; and improved language skills and learning/attention. It provides tips for professionals to authentically engage fathers, such as building relationships, providing choices, and marketing services' benefits without using "support" language.

1. Working With Dads In
Authentic Ways

2. Welcome to C&K V1.015 © This document is the property of C&KPage 2
Working With Dads In
Authentic Ways

3. Agenda
• What’s the Problem
• Importance of Dads to children for-
– Behaviour
– Coordination and Movement
– Social and Emotional Development
– Language
– Learning and Attention
• Working with Dads

5. Problem?
• Family-inclusive practice =
children, mum AND dad
• However, there is a tendency amongst
family and child workers to overlook fathers (Flemming,
2002; Brown, Callahan, Strega, Walmsley, & Dominelli, 2009; Cameron et al., 2014).
• Many professionals are also ambivalent about
involving fathers in their work (Berlyn, Wise, & Soriano, 2008; Brown
et al., 2009; Department of Families, 2009; Fleming & King, 2010; Panter-Brick et al.,
2014).

6. Problem?
• Family research where many
studies fail to mention fathers and
those that do often rely on mothers
as proxy respondents for their
partners (Mitchell et al., 2007).
Over a five-year period, only 24%
of family-focused articles included
information about fathers and only
12.5% included fathers as
participants in the actual research
(Shapiro & Krysik, 2010).
• Worryingly, fathers are often
portrayed in literature in
negative ways (Cameron et al.,
2014; Fleming & King, 2010),
for example as being ‘potential
dangers to women and
children’ (Cameron et al.,
2014, p. 14).

7. Behaviour

8. Behaviour
Positive father involvement =
 decreased boys' problem behaviours (especially boys with more challenging temperaments)
 better mental health for girls
 Decreased hyperactivity
 reduced teen violence & delinquency and other problems with the law (Fogarty & Evans, 2009).
 less likely to be sexually involved at an early age,
 less likely to have babies out of wedlock,
 less likely to be involved in criminal or violent behaviour.
 more patient, curious, and confident.
 More self discipline, self control and longer attention span (Biller, 1993)
 improved general life skills
 Children in neighbourhoods with a high concentration of fatherless families are 3 x more likely to be
incarcerated
Biller, H.B. & Solomon, R.S., Child Maltreatment and Paternal Deprivation: A Manifesto for Research, Prevention, and Treatment, Lexington, MA: Lexington, 1986.
Radin, 'Primary caregiving and rolesharing fathers of preschoolers', in Lamb (ed.), Nontraditional Families, 1982, pp. 173-208; Sagi, A., 'Antecedents and consequences of various degrees of paternal involvement in childrearing: The Israeli Project', in Lamb (ed.), Nontraditional Families,
1982.
Fogarty, K. & Evans, G. (2009).The Hidden Benefits of Being an Involved Father. Retrieved from http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/he137
Henry B. Biller, Father and Families: Paternal Factors in Child Development (Westport, CT: Auburn House, 1993).
Paul R. Amato, Children in Australian Families: The Growth of Competence (New York: Prentice Hall, 1987).
Anne Hill and June O’Neil, Underclass Behaviors in the United States: Measurements and Analysis or Determinants (New York: City University of New York, 1993).

9. Coordination and Movement

10. Coordination and Movement

11. Coordination and Movement

12. Social and Emotional Development

13. Social and Emotional Development
 Father involvement is associated with:
Increased: empathy
Self-esteem
Self-control
Feelings of ability to achieve
Psychological well-being
Social competence
Life skills
Fewer sex-stereotyped beliefs
 In a 26-year-long study found NUMBER 1 factor in developing empathy in
children was father involvement. Fathers spending regular time alone with
their children translated into children who became compassionate
adults.(Koestner et al. 1990)
Fogarty, K. & Evans, G. (2009). The Hidden Benefits of Being an Involved Father. Retrieved from http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/he137

14. Language

15. Language
 fathers language input makes a significant and unique contribution to their children’s later expressive language development.
Specifically, fathers who used more different words in their interactions with their children at 24 months had children with better
expressive language skills at 36 months of age. Father contributions to children’s language development held even after
controlling for parental level of education, quality of childcare, and the same aspects of maternal language input to these young
children (Pancsofar & Vernon-Feagans 2006)
 Fathers and Mothers speak to children differently.
 Mothers:
 simplify their words, speak on the child’s level, more descriptive, personal, and verbally encouraging (good for immediate
communication)
 Fathers:
 Don’t modify their language as much, tends to be more brief, directive, and to the point, makes more use of facial expressions
and body language (challenges the child to expand his or her vocabulary and linguistic skills)
 Children who do not learn how to understand and use both styles of conversation will be at a disadvantage, because they will
experience both of these styles as they enter the adult world.
Eleanor E. Maccoby, The Two Sexes: Growing Up Apart; Coming Together (Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1999),

16. Learning and Attention

17. Learning and Attention
 Fathers' interaction with babies (engaging in cognitively stimulating activities, emotional
warmth, physical care) reduced their infants' chances of experiencing cognitive delay
(Bronte-Tinkew, Carrano, Horowitz & Kinukawa, 2008)
 In fact, when fathers are good at playing with their young children, these children score
higher on tests of thinking and problem-solving skills. (Radin, 1986)
 Because fathers encouraged their children’s responsibility (eg. carrying scissors, crossing the
street, or taking a bath alone) their children scored higher in tests of thinking skills (Clarke-
Stewart, 1980). Accomplishing tasks at this age is so important, and fathers' involvement is
so crucial, that fathers have a larger influence on their children's self-esteem at this age than
do mothers. (Amato, 1986)
Clarke-Stewart, 'And Daddy makes three', Child Development, 1978; Clarke-Stewart, 'The Father's contribution', in Pedersen (ed.), The Father-Infant Relationship, 1980.
Amato, P.R., 'Marital conflict, the parent-child relationship, and child self-esteem', Family Relations, 35, 1986, pp. 403-410.
Radin, 'Primary caregiving fathers in intact families', 1994; Radin, 'The influence of fathers', Social Work in Education, 1986; Nugent, 'Cultural and psychological influences', Journal of Marriage and the Family, 1991.
Bronte-Tinkew, J., Carrano, J., Horowitz, A., & Kinukawa, A. (2008). Involvement among resident fathers and links to infant cognitive outcomes. Journal of Family Issues, 29, 1211–1244.

18. Working with Dads
• Get feedback from fathers
• Increase the visibility of fathers in the workplace
– Email me and I can send you some ‘Fathers are Important’ posters.
• Involve children in recruiting fathers/ male role models
• Email/ text dads specifically
• Market to dads by describing the benefit/outcome (but don’t use the word support)

19. Working with Dads
 Relationships first (share how dads are important to you/ children you know)
 Opposition Opportunity
 Unconditional Regard
 They’re experts for their family, even if you are an expert, don’t
act like one.
 Choice
 How can they join in

20. Contact Details
Glenn Hodgson
Email: g.hodgson@candk.asn.au
Phone: 07 3208 1263