Father's Effect on Children

Father's are a very positive influence. On Father's Day we honor fathers but often we do not realize the changing and challenging role they play in children's lives.

Consider the following from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Service Fatherhood Initiative:

"Children who live with their biological fathers are, on average, at least two to three times more likely not to be poor, less likely to use drugs, less likely to experience educational, health, emotional and behavioral problems, less likely to be victims of child abuse, and less likely to engage in criminal behavior than their peers who live without their married, biological (or adoptive) parents."  

Below are some resources about families and fatherhood:

U.S. Department of Health and Human Service Fatherhood Initiative http://fatherhood.hhs.gov/index.shtml

President's Father's Day Proclamation  By the President of the United States of America: A Proclamation http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2003/06/20030613-8.html

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

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.

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 Fatherhood Initiative (NFI)
301-948-0599 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.

Fathers can have an important influence on children’s mental and physical health. Children in two parent families are more likely to have access to private health insurance. Children in two parent families are likely to use more preventative and illness-related ambulatory care than single parent families even after income and health insurance is taken into account. Fathers warmth and closeness to their children appears to affect health status many years later.