New from the National Responsible Fatherhood Clearinghouse!
Urban fathers can face a distinct set of circumstances and have unique needs that are important for fatherhood programs to recognize and address head-on. In this month's newsletter, find activities for city-dwelling dads and programming resources for practitioners working with this population.
Also, October is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month. We've included resources and information on this topic to help reduce the incidence of domestic violence in the U.S.
For Dads
Explore new places!
What interesting sights are lurking in your own urban backyard? A city
scavenger hunt or bingo game can help your child to explore the area where you live, learn more about the people and places in the area, and bring a sense of adventure right to your doorstep. One template can be found here.
Check out one dad's #DanceLikeADad routine here! Then, post your go-to dad dance using #DanceLikeADad on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.
For Programs
The following resources can help programs working with urban fathers to understand their unique experiences and promote effective and relevant parenting strategies.
This article is based on interviews with front-line African American service professionals at a father-focused program. It provides information about and suggestions for working with young urban African American fathers.
This brief provides an overview of previous research about men and depression, identifies factors associated with fathers' risk of depression during the first year of their child's life, and offers tips on how fatherhood programs can help fathers identify and address symptoms of depression.
This study examines the efficacy of ParentCorps among 4-year-old children (N = 171) enrolled in prekindergarten in a large urban school district. Study findings support investment in and further study of school-based family interventions for children from underserved, urban communities.
National Domestic Violence Awareness Month
Nearly three-fourths Americans know someone who has been a victim of domestic violence, according to the domestic violence nonprofit Break the Cycle. National Domestic Violence Awareness month, started in 1981, aims to promote awareness of and fight back against this issue.
Fathers can learn how to be allies in domestic violence prevention with this toolkit from the National Responsible Fatherhood Clearinghouse. In addition, fatherhood programs can integrate domestic violence awareness by using this protocol guide and screening tool from the Colorado Department of Human Services.
Our Mission: The goals of the National Responsible Fatherhood Clearinghouse are to provide, facilitate, and disseminate current research and proven and innovative strategies that will encourage and strengthen fathers and families and providers of services.
Our Resources: Visit the
NRFC website for fatherhood topics and tools, news, and new publications, which can be found through the NRFC online
library search.
