Overall QIC-NRF Purpose

1. Fathers of Foster Children: Are we getting to know them?Joanna ReynoldsPaul FrankelAmerican Humane Association The 17th National Conference on Child Abuse and Neglect: Focusing on the Future: Strengthening Families and CommunitiesApril 1, 2009

2. QIC NRF is Operated by:American Humane AssociationAmerican Bar Association Center on Children and the LawNational Fatherhood InitiativeA Project of the Children’s BureauAdministration on Children, Youth and FamiliesAdministration on Children and FamiliesUS Department of Health and Human Services2006-2011

3. Overall QIC-NRF Purpose • Improve child welfare outcomes by seeking to involve non-resident fathers in their children’s lives • Build knowledge base around non-resident father engagement in child welfare cases

4. Needs Assessment and Gap Analysis Literature Review Research Focus Phase I : Three Part Approach

5. Phase I : Framework for Assessment “What About the Dads” ACF Study (2006)Identification Location Contacting EngagementInter-Agency Collaboration

6. Focus groups underscored the importance of involving fathers from the beginning (i.e., at birth) The largest obstacles to father involvement are meaningful engagement of fathers and lack of systemic collaboration Mothers are “gatekeepers” – Maternal resistance due to conflict with father Fathers fear the child welfare system Group Results Summary

7. CW Agency Staff/Researchers Fatherhood Programs Legal/Judicial Professionals Most stated that engagement was the most difficult of the 5 areas of focus. Key Informant Summary

8. “More About the Dads” ACF Study - 2008 • Components of Engagement • Formal Supports • Informal Supports • Visits with the Child • Better Outcomes with “high engagement”

9. Phase II • Project Definition • Emphasis on Engagement of Fathers • Peer-led group curriculum development • Grantmaking • Site Selection • Startup and Implementation • Evaluation and Research

10. Small Scale Randomized Control Trial

11. The Interventions • Father-friendly checkup (NFI) • 20- week peer-led curriculum for fathers of Foster care children (AHA) • Outreach and preliminary training for social workers • 1-day curriculum and training for social workers in the program on the importance of engaging fathers • 1-day curriculum and workshop for attorneys and judges (ABA)

12. Evaluation and Research Evaluation: • Process: Fidelity to Model in recruitment, random assignment and curriculum • Outputs: number of fathers served, number of children served, trainings, workshops, presentations, articles • Outcomes: Child Outcomes, Father Outcomes, System Change

13. Research The Baseline Information • From National Data Bases • From our program Fathers

14. Reporting of CPS Assessment and Investigation 49 States reporting in 2007 Living Arrangement not well reported NCANDS

15. Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System All States Reporting Caretaker Family Status well reported, not universal AFCARS

16. The Reports: Non-Resident Fathers Among Children (NCANDS) (State A)

17. The Reports: Non-Resident Fathers Among Children (NCANDS) (Colorado)

18. The Reports: Non-Resident Fathers Among Children (NCANDS) (State B)

19. Living Arrangements (State B): NCANDS FFY 2007

20. Six month cohort recurrence method Entry Cohort Living Arrangement as an Independent Variable Caretaker Family Status as an Independent Variable Child Safety

21. Child Safety by Caretaker Family Status NCANDS 2006 Child File – Six Month Recurrence Method

22. Child Safety: re-report within six moths, by living arrangement (NCANDS 2007)

23. Entry Cohort Length of Stay in Foster Care Discharge status To be developed: reentry rates based on entry cohorts Exit Type of Exit Status by Caretaker Family Status Reentry LOS Rates Caretaker Family Status Permanency

24. Does Caretaker Family Status affects Length of Stay in Foster Care? Does Caretaker Family Status affect Discharge Reason from Foster Care Caretaker Family Status does not affect Reentry Rates Permanency questions

25. Length of Stay in Foster Care- State A

26. Length of Stay in Foster Care- State B

27. Length of Stay in Foster Care- State C

28. Length of Stay in Foster Care- State D

29. Father Outreach and Recruitment

30. Barriers to Recruitment • Program Self-limitations: risks to safety, timeliness of contact • Locatability • Decision not to participate • Scheduling • Transportation

31. Fathers’ Interview Protocol • Treatment Group • Baseline • Interim • Closing • Control Group • Baseline • Interim • Closing

32. Baseline Information About the Father Children Relationship with Children Relationship with Mother(s) Relationship with Systems Fathers’ Interview Protocol: Overview

33. Fathers’ Interview Protocol • Children • How many: 1 child (19); 2 children (2); 3 children (2) • Children in Placement: all but one. • Ages: 3 months to 12 years • What do they do: play, eat, talk about their situations • Are they big/smart for their age? Most fathers have a definite idea.

34. Fathers’ Interview Protocol The Eligible Fathers • No Record of Violence • Not incarcerated • Accessible

35. Fathers’ Interview Protocol - Mothers • How do you get along with the Child’s Mother? • Very well 2 • Moderately well 5 • Not well, not badly 6 • Not well3 • Very badly2 • No interaction3

36. Fathers’ Interview Protocol - Mothers • Current relationship? • Committed one-on-one relationship3 • Steady relationship, dates other people1 • On-again, off-again relationship1 • Really just friends 9 • Not friends 7

37. Fathers’ Interview Protocol - Mothers • Past – (Relationship at its closest) Were/are married3 Had committed relationship 13 Was on-again, off-again1 Was always casual2 Declined to say2

38. Fathers’ Interview -- System • CPS • 9 were interviewed by child’s SW; 11 were not. • About one-quarter say they have been treated fairly. • Open-ended responses indicated better now than previous; ongoing case manager more receptive than assessment worker. • Frustration over lack of follow-through with planned activities, e.g. home study

39. Model Program Intervention • Facilitated Peer Support Intervention • Optimizes non-resident father participation • Aims to sustain willingness to work within the system • Demonstrates positive parent-child behavior • Provides mutual support to address and promote timely solutions to overcome frustration

40. Curriculum • Dad as Part of the Solution: Overview of the Child Welfare System - How does the child welfare system work? A CW representative will join. • Dad as Planner: Service Planning in the Child Welfare System - How does the child welfare system give help to families? A CW representative will join. • Dad as Part of the Juvenile Court Process: Legal Advocacy and Court Etiquette - How does the juvenile court/legal process work? An attorney for parents will join. • Dad as a Healthy Parent: Taking Care of You - What will it mean for my children if I am healthy? • Dad as Community Member: Identifying and Accessing Resources - What kinds of help or services are available to me and my children in my community? • Dad as Cultural Guide: The Role of Culture in Parenting - What cultures am I a part of? How does my culture influence how I parent my children?

41. Curriculum • Dad as Parent: Understanding Your Children - What do children need at all ages to grow up in a healthy way? • Dad as Part of Children’s Placement: Visiting with Your Children - How does the child welfare visitation process work? • Dad as Provider: Supporting Your Children - What is “child support” and what is expected of me as a Dad who does not live with my children? A CSE representative will join. • Dad as Team Player: Shared Parenting - How do I get along better with my children’s mother, our extended families and the foster parents or other involved caregivers? • Dad as Worker: Workforce Readiness - Why is it important for my children and for myself that I have a job? A workforce readiness expert will join.

42. Weekly Curriculum Responses by Site • Marion County, Indiana – (13 responses from Cohort-1 and 4 responses from Cohort-2) Indiana Department of Child Services in Indianapolis: Indiana Fathers and Families Center • King County, Washington – (0 responses so far) Division of Children and Family Services in Seattle: Divine Alternatives for Dads • El Paso County, Colorado – (3 responses from Cohort 1) El Paso County Department of Human Services in Colorado Springs: Center for Fathering • Tarrant County, Texas – (6 responses from Cohort-1) Texas Department of Family and Protective Services in Ft. Worth: New Day Services for Children and Families

43. Facilitator Survey • The Sessions • Attendance • Time • Father Engagement

44. Weekly Curriculum Survey Results • 26 session feedback responses ranging from 12/2008 to 3/2009

45. Weekly Curriculum Ratings

46. Weekly Curriculum Comments “We had our workforce development manager as a guest speaker for this session. Fathers are at different part of the working spectrum, from employed, unemployed and disabled.” “The fathers responded very well. They were happy to have a child welfare representative there to answer questions they may have. Unfortunately, they had more questions than they had time.” “Dad's seemed interested in knowing their rights and learning more about child support.” “Dad's seemed interested in finding ways to become better parents.”

47. Most important so far: • The system – case workers and fathers • Policy and practice

48. Father Outreach and Recruitment

49. The System • Sharp reduction at the point of contacting fathers • Pressing mothers for father information is often a very delicate and sensitive process

50. Attendance • Low enrollments • .. But they stick with it!