Fatherhood and Poverty

The number of unwed mothers has increased greatly over the past several decades, particularly in low-income communities. Of course, it follows that the number of unwed fathers has increased also. Yet most people know very little about these men, note Kathryn Edin and Timothy Nelson, Kennedy School sociologists who have focused their research on this group.

Edin, a professor of public policy and management, and Nelson, a lecturer in social policy, last year coauthored (along with Jennifer March Augustine of the University of Texas) a paper titled “Why Do Poor Men Have Children? Fertility Intentions among Low-Income Unmarried U.S. Fathers,” published in the Annals of the American Academy of Political Science. Their study features interviews with 171 men from the Philadelphia area, who speak candidly about their intention to have children, their involvement as parents, and how their children have affected them and their behavior.

“Contrary to the conventional wisdom, the disadvantaged men whose narratives formed this account typically have at least an ambivalent desire to father and perceive considerable benefits in doing so,” write the authors.

Read more by clicking the link above.

Fathers as Family and Community Resources

A recent article in American Humane's Protecting Children describes the impact of fathers in the lives of families involved with the child welfare system, as well as ways to support and promote positive father involvement. The article, "Fathers as Resources in Families Involved in the Child Welfare System," focuses on the evaluation of a model program for low-income families involved with the child welfare system. 

More than 500 families with child welfare involvement were randomly divided among three interventions: a fathers-only group, a couples group, and an information-only (control) session. The fathers and couples groups received 32 hours of group training and discussion over 16 weeks, facilitated by a clinically trained couple using the Supporting Father Involvement curriculum. Before the intervention and 2 and 11 months after the intervention, parents were assessed for mental health and well-being, quality of the couple's relationship, quality of the parent-child relationship, generational transmission of expectations and behaviors, and balance of life stresses and social supports.

Results show the interventions' success in reducing risk factors and increasing protective factors:

• Parents in the couples group showed increased father involvement and decreased personal and parenting distress compared to the control condition.
• Fathers-only participants made slightly fewer gains than the couples participants but showed significant and positive effects on father involvement.
• Children of parents who participated in one of the groups had no increases in problem behaviors, unlike children in the control condition.

In addition, agencies that hosted the fathers-only groups showed improvement in father-inclusive policies and services.

The authors note that this ongoing program is still learning how to best provide parents with the skills and supports that are needed to eradicate old patterns and improve family relationships.

Read more online at:   http://cbexpress.acf.hhs.gov/index.cfm?event=website.viewPrinterFriendly&issueid=117

Study: Building Strong Families Evaluation Suggests Stronger Approach is Needed

(FROM HHS):  The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) today released findings from a study assessing the effectiveness of programs designed to help low-income unmarried parents build and sustain healthy relationships in order to provide their children with stable family lives and the support and involvement of both parents. 

In the Building Strong Families initiative, programs provided relationship and marriage education, case management, and referrals to other services.  Seven of the eight programs evaluated in the initiative failed to yield better outcomes for participants than for a control group that did not have access to the program.  The study measured the living arrangements, relationship status, relationship quality, extent of father involvement with his child, domestic violence and economic well-being of approximately five thousand couples who were randomly assigned to either a control group or a group that had access to a Building Strong Families program.
 
One program did show positive benefits in relationship quality and father involvement for participants compared to a control group.  Furthermore, some benefits appeared among subgroups, including African American couples, couples with better relationship quality at the baseline and couples with low education levels.  Participants in one other program experienced an increase in violence between partners, as well as more break-ups and a decrease in support and affection from their partners. The program subsequently modified several procedures to prevent domestic violence and increase safety.
This report's findings serve to reinforce the need for a more comprehensive approach like the one proposed in the President’s pending Fatherhood, Marriage and Families Innovation Fund.

“These findings are very timely as Congress considers the more comprehensive Fatherhood, Marriage and Families Innovation Fund, proposed in the President’s 2011 budget,” said Carmen R. Nazario, HHS’ assistant secretary for children and families.  “The results of this study show that it is possible to positively influence and strengthen families with support programs, but also suggest that the current approach isn’t adequate.  "Couples often face several compounding challenges.  A broader effort will provide the comprehensive support that parents and couples need to succeed in their relationships as well as in their roles as workers, providers, and engaged parents. Such efforts should be tailored to individual circumstances and extend to include effective mental health resources and services to address domestic violence. That is the approach reflected in the President’s proposed Fatherhood, Marriage and Families Innovation Fund.”
 
The Fund, proposed in the President’s 2011 budget, would focus on comprehensive responsible fatherhood programs, including those with relationship and marriage components.  The current Healthy Marriage and Responsible Fatherhood program, through which the Building Strong Families programs were funded, would be redirected to this more comprehensive effort. 
 
“Active and engaged parents are critically important to the healthy development of children” said Assistant Secretary Nazario. “Children raised with involved, supportive fathers are more likely to succeed in school and are less likely to abuse drugs or alcohol or to become parents in their teen years.  The President is committed to helping children reach their full potential by supporting parents in their critical role, working to reduce domestic violence, and promoting healthy relationships and safe and secure households.  Comprehensive responsible fatherhood programs, many with healthy marriage components, will be a major focus of the new Innovation Fund proposed by the President.
 
For the report on Building Strong Families, mothers and fathers were interviewed about 15 months after they volunteered for the program.  The status of these couples and the well-being of their children will be measured again 36 months after they signed up for the program.  The longer-term results are expected in 2012.
 
The full report “Strengthening Unmarried Parents’ Relationships: The Early Impacts of Building Strong Families,” along with a report on implementation of the programs, is available at: http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/opre/strengthen/build_fam/index.html

2010 CWLA State Fact Sheets

The State Fact Sheets provide descriptive information on the condition of vulnerable children in all fifty states and the District of Columbia, using indicators of child protection, health, child care, education, and income support.

Download New York's at: http://www.cwla.org/advocacy/statefactsheets/statefactsheets10.htm

New Resources

America's Families and Living Arrangements: 2007


OJJDP Strategic Planning Tool

Social Science Rising: A Tale of Evidence Shaping Public Policy

The Team Around The Child (TAC) and the Lead Professional: A Guide for Managers

The Team Around The Child (TAC) and the Lead Professional: A Guide for Practitioners

The Forgotten Fifth: Child Poverty in Rural America

Evidence-Based and Evidence-Informed Programs: Prevention Program Descriptions Classified by CBCAP Evidence-Based and Evidence-Informed Categories

Factors Influencing Child maltreatment Among Families Leaving Temporary Assistance to Needy Families

Policy and System Change: Creating a Successful Action Plan

Re-forming the Social Service Business Partnership: Setting out the Vision and Strategies for Reform

Financing and Budgeting Strategies

Setting a Community Agenda

Strategies to Achieve Results

The Data Difference: The Data User's Guide: Using Data for Better Decisions

Citizens Review Panel Annual Report

Dear friends and colleagues,

As you are aware, I’m a member of the New York State Citizen Review Panels for Child Protective Services. Yesterday, our panel chairs met in Albany to release and they hand delivered our report, The Time for Change is Now , to OCFS Commissioner Carrion, Assembly Member Scarborough, Senator Montgomery, and Executive Chamber staff. Our report builds on the Panels’ previous reports calling for fundamental reform in child welfare.

The report highlights the underlying causes of maltreatment, why there is urgency for change, and provides recommendations for a shift in funding from investigations and foster care placement to primary prevention and intervention services that keep children from being harmed. The report also highlights five innovative practices with promising results.

New York spends over $3 billion annually for child welfare, mostly for Child Protective investigations and foster care. At a time when the state can least afford to invest in programs and services that fail, the Panels call for a shift in child welfare funding to achieve better outcomes for children and families and save money over the long-term.

The Panels’ recommendations call for a reduction in foster care placements, a shift to preventive services, increased cultural competency, and increased parental access to information, especially for immigrant and vulnerable families. In addition, panel members call for the elimination of educational neglect as a basis for child protective reports for children 13 and older and increased responsibility on the part of school districts for reducing absenteeism. The CPS system is not equipped to help families with teens who are refusing to attend school. New York State must develop other options to reach out to these youth.

Children cannot wait for a time when reform is convenient. During this deep recession, more and more families with children have fallen into poverty, leaving them unable to provide basic necessities. While poverty by itself does not lead to child maltreatment, it can exacerbate stresses and strains in any household. Most families need help accessing public benefits, job programs, and safe housing instead of a report to the SCR. This is a time when the state can least afford to spend scarce resources on programs, services, or approaches that don’t work.

To view a copy of our report: http://www.citizenreviewpanelsny.org/documents/2009_crp_annual_report.pdf

Citizen Review Panels are mandated by federal law to assess the extent to which agencies are effectively carrying out their child protection responsibilities. There are three independent panels in New York State, each with 13 members. Each panel has up to 13 citizen volunteers as members, seven of which are appointed by the Executive Chamber, three appointed by the Speaker of the Assembly, and three appointed by the President Pro Tem of the Senate. Each year, the Panels are required to submit a report with their activities and recommendations to the state.

For more information about the panels: http://www.citizenreviewpanelsny.org/ 


Sincerely,


Jorge Saenz De Viteri
BCC Child Development Center, Inc

New Resources

Children and Families First: A Chronicle of the Alameda County Social Services Agency Foster Care System

Understanding How Trauma Impacts Children in Child Welfare and What to Do About It [Presentation Slides]

Challenges for Mothers with HIV [Fall 2009 of The Source]

Engaging Dads: The National QIC on Non-Resident Fathers and the Child Welfare System

The Investigative Windows of Opportunity: The Vital Link to Corroboration in Child Sexual Abuse Cases

Hawaii's Differential Response System: An Interview With John Walters

Information Packet: Rural Issues in Child Welfare

Promoting Physical Health (Chapter 2 of Healthy Beginnings, Healthy Futures: A Judge's Guide)

Addressing Early Mental Health and Developmental Needs (Chapter 3 of Healthy Beginnings, Healthy Futures: A Judge's Guide) 

Children on the Homefront: The Experience of Children From Military Families


Views from the Home Front: The Experience of Children from Military Families

Pop's Culture: A National Survey of Dads' Attitudes on Fathering

Developing Models for Workforce Recruitment and Retention

Spotlight on Child Welfare Leadership: Strengthening the Workforce: Workforce Institute Launches With Ambitious Program

Social Outcomes': Missing the Forest for the Trees?

By Mario Morino

For the past month, I have worked through draft after draft of this column as I've struggled to properly express my concern about the growing movement to advance 'social outcomes'—as well as 'impact,' 'measurement,' 'metrics,' 'evaluation,' 'accountability,' and a half-dozen other related concepts—for nonprofit organizations.

Here is my concern, as best as I can manage to articulate it. I am increasingly worried that the vast majority of funders and nonprofits are achieving, at best, marginal benefit from their efforts to implement outcomes thinking. Granted, there has been some truly meaningful progress. Select hospitals like the Cleveland Clinic and Mayo Clinic have made great strides in assessing their outcomes and being transparent about their performance. And the Edna McConnell Clark Foundation and a few others have keenly focused on the challenge of social outcomes and have dealt with them well. Yet many other efforts may end up misdirecting, even wasting, precious time and financial resources. In some extreme situations, well-intentioned efforts may actually risk producing adverse effects on nonprofits and those they serve.

Keep in mind this comes from a guy who has been strident in stressing the importance of outcomes and assessment for nonprofits for close to 15 years!

Read the rest of Mario's blog online at:  http://www.vppartners.org/learning/enews/archive/2010/jan10.html#cc1

What Works for Parent Involvement Programs for Children and Adolescents

Parents can play an important role in helping their children acquire or strengthen the behaviors and skills that promote physical and mental health and overall well-being. Two new Child Trends fact sheets synthesize the findings from evaluations of parent involvement programs for children ages 6-11 and adolescents ages 12-17. The authors identify the components and strategies associated with successful programs. What Works for Parent Involvement Programs for Children and What Works for Parent Involvement Programs for Adolescents.

SRCD - Healthy Development: A Summit on Children's Mental Health

In April, 2009, the Society for Research in Child Development was the lead sponsor for an interdisciplinary summit on children's mental health, which was held at the University of Denver. There were more than twenty other sponsoring groups, listed here. The summit was designed to emphasize collaboration among researchers, mental health experts, other stakeholders and communication scientists about the importance of children's mental health for optimal development in order to inform public attitudes and public policy.
The format of the Summit included a few presentations designed to catalyze discussion, but the real work of the meeting happened in four small groups; each focused on one of the following topics: (1) The importance of mental health for normal child development; (2) Everyday challenges for parents and child mental health; (3) Prevention opportunities in child mental health; and (4) Child mental health disorders: Treatment works.

Each group aimed to discuss, among those findings that are empirically supported, what are the most critical and useful ideas to improve public understanding? The summit was dedicated to the life and work of Jane Knitzer.

Read the report from the summit online at:  http://www.srcd.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=353&Itemid=1

Examining the Impact of Unemployment on Children and Youth

One in seven American children has an unemployed parent as a result of the current recession, according to a new brief from First Focus Campaign for Children. The brief finds that children are twice as likely to be affected by unemployment as adults. Families of the Recession: Unemployed Parents & Their Children also finds that children with an unemployed parent are more likely to experience homelessness and child abuse, and to drop out of high school or college. Among the recommendations in the report are proposals to implement a state education fund of at least $23 billion to address educational needs of children and appropriate $1.5 billion through the Workforce Investment Act youth program to support year-round youth employment opportunities.

Download the report from the Spotlight on Poverty and Opportunity at:  http://www.spotlightonpoverty.org/consequences_of_poverty.aspx

White House Event Promotes Mentoring

On January 21, 2010, in a White House ceremony marking January as National Mentoring Month, mentors and mentees from across America joined President Barack Obama and the First Lady in an effort to increase public awareness of the benefits of mentoring.

National Mentoring Month is a collaborative initiative of the Harvard School of Public Health, MENTOR, and the Corporation for National and Community Service. This year's campaign features a public service announcement by General Collin Powell and leverages the work of local and corporate partners to encourage more Americans to serve as mentors.

As President Obama has observed, "Every day, mentors in communities across our nation provide crucial support and guidance to young people." During National Mentoring Month, we honor their commitment and invite you to join them.

To learn more about National Mentoring Month, visit:  http://www.nationalmentoringmonth.org

Who Are America's Poor Children?

More than 13 million American children live in families with incomes below the federal poverty level, which is $22,050 a year for a family of four. The number of children living in poverty increased by 21 percent between 2000 and 2008. There are 2.5 million more children living in poverty today than in 2000.

Not only are these numbers troubling, the official poverty measure tells only part of the story. Research consistently shows that, on average, families need an income of about twice the federal poverty level to make ends meet.  Children living in families with incomes below this level – for 2009, $44,100 for a family of four – are referred to as low income. Forty-one percent of the nation’s children – more than 29 million in 2008 – live in low-income families.

Download this report from:  http://www.nccp.org/publications/pub_912.html?utm_source=NCCP+Update&utm_campaign=4e6990bfb8-Update_1_20_2010&utm_medium=email

The Effects of the Recession on Child Poverty

A new brief from The Brookings Institution finds that 25 states may face high child poverty rates in 2009 as a result of the recession. In making this assessment, The Effects of the Recession on Child Poverty examines child poverty rates in 2008 and the increase of enrollment rates for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly food stamps) between 2008 and 2009. The report identified the District of Columbia and eight states, including Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, Mississippi, New Mexico, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas, as facing the highest risk of high child poverty in 2009. All eight states and Washington, D.C. experienced high child poverty rates in 2008 and a very high increase in SNAP enrollment rates. The report also finds that only five states, which had low child poverty rates in 2008 and only a moderate increase in SNAP enrollment, are at low risk of child poverty in 2009.

Download the report online at:  http://www.spotlightonpoverty.org/EconomicOpportunityResearch.aspx

From CSSP: Research Briefs Summarize Studies Relevant to Strengthening Families

The Center for the Study of Social Policy (CSSP) created five research briefs summarizing seminal studies or areas of research and their relevance to Strengthening Families and released them at the Strengthening Families Leadership Summit in October, 2009. The one-page research briefs, which are all available online, cover the following topics:

The Adverse Childhood Experiences Study, which shows a direct correlation in negative experiences in childhood and poor outcomes in adulthood

Childhood Stress across the Lifespan, on the different degrees of stress that children experience and its impact throughout life

Infant Mental Health and Social-Emotional Compentence, about the development of normal social-emotional capacities and signs of abnormal development

Resilience in Childhood, which addresses the factors that influence resilience among young children that enable some to function successfully in difficult contexts

Risk and Protective Factors, on the dynamic relationship between different types of risk and protective factors for families

CSSP is seeking feedback on these and future research briefs. If you have not already responded to our brief survey, please take a moment to do so. CLICK HERE FOR THE BRIEF SURVEY.

Three States Approved For Kinship-Guardianship Option, 11 More Pending

From the CWLA Children's Monitor.  Sign-up for the Monitor online at:  http://www.cwla.org/advocacy/monitoronline.htm

The Children's Bureau has now approved amended state plans from Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, and Tennessee that will allow the states to utilize Title IV-E funds for the new kinship-guardianship option as provided for through last year's Fostering Connections Act (P.L. 110-351). Ten other states along with the District of Columbia have also submitted state plan amendments. These states are Connecticut, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, New Jersey, Oregon, and Washington.

The kinship-guardianship option became effective shortly after Fostering Connections was signed into law in October 2008, but there is no timeframe or deadline for states to take the option. While some were expecting states to act more quickly, enactment coincided with the recession, which has had a delaying impact. Factors that may inhibit states include some states requiring legislative changes, other states contemplating dramatic cuts in human service funding, and other states awaiting greater instruction and clarification from HHS, including on an important issue as to whether or not children already in kinship placements and otherwise eligible being covered once a state has taken the option or whether coverage extends only to new kinship arrangements established after a state plan has been amended. HHS has stuck by the December 2008 guidance, requiring the narrower eligibility, but some states such as California are seeking a broader interpretation.

The Health and Well-Being of Children: A Portrait of States and the Nation 2007

The Health Resources and Services Administration’s Maternal and Child Health Bureau is pleased to announce that the The Health and Well-Being of Children: A Portrait of States and the Nation 2007 is now available either online or you can request a hardcopy through the addresses listed at the end of this message. The chartbook provides both national and state-level data on U.S. children based on the 2007 National Survey of Children’s Health.

Among the findings which can be found in this report and at www.childhealthdata.org are:

• In 2007, 88.5 percent of children reported receiving a preventive health care visit, up from 77 percent in 2003. Among children who had no health insurance, however, the rate was far lower: only 72.6 percent of children who were uninsured at the time of the survey had a preventive health care visit.
• More than 15 percent of U.S. children had no health insurance for all or part of 2007.
• Nearly one-third of U.S. children, ages 10 to 17, were overweight or obese. Most significantly, the incidence of obesity continued to rise from 14.8% of U.S. children in 2003 to 16.4% by 2007.
• About four out of 10 children in need of mental health services for emotional development or behavioral problems did not receive them. Among uninsured children, more than half did not.
• Over 25 percent of American children under age 5 were at risk for developmental and behavioral problems or social delays. But fewer than one in five received recommended screening.
• More than 4 in 10 children were not receiving care within a “medical home,” defined by the American Academy of Pediatrics as care that is accessible, continuous, comprehensive, family-centered, coordinated and compassionate.

The survey also reveals significant state-to-state differences across a broad range of health issues for children. While each state has its strengths, no state rates high across all key areas of child well-being, health care access or quality of care. For example, 23 percent of adolescents in Utah were overweight or obese compared to 44 percent in Mississippi. Insured children in Minnesota were almost twice as likely as children in Hawaii to have insurance that does not meet their needs.

The National Survey of Children’s Health collected information on 91,642 children. Interviews were conducted with parents or guardians who know about the child's health. The survey provides information about the oral, physical and mental health of children from birth to age 17 and includes national and state-by-state data. The survey covers a broad range of parental attitudes and assessments of other important child development benchmarks, including access to recreational facilities, school engagement, and screen-viewing habits.

Survey data books on children’s emotional and behavioral health, children with special health care needs, and rural children’s health, all based on the 2007 National Survey of Children’s Health, will be released in the future.

If you would like a hard copy of the chartbook, please contact the HRSA Information Center toll-free at 1-888-ASK-HRSA or 703-442-9051.

Child Abuse May Lead to Adult Migraines and Pain Disorders, Family Health Articles

Researchers from the American Headache Society's Women's Issues Section Research Consortium found that children who were abused and neglected have higher incidence of migraines and pain disorders. In addition, the same research has found that people who suffer from migraines and have a history of abuse tend to show more signs of adjacent, related conditions than patients without such a history. The findings carry considerable implications, and should be of use to policymakers in designing new laws to protect children from their own parents or relatives.

Read more on this at:  http://www.emaxhealth.com/1357/5/35045/child-abuse-may-lead-adult-migraines-and-pain-disorders.html

Spotlight Webcast: How Shrinking State Budgets are Affecting Low-Income Families

As low-income families continue to struggle to make ends meet, state governments are making drastic budget cuts to education, healthcare and other vital social services. The latest Spotlight webcast examines current state fiscal policies in North Carolina and Massachusetts and presents ways for other state governments to mitigate the impact of the recession on low-income families. The webcast also examines the effect of federal fiscal relief and other American Recovery and Reinvestment Act provisions intended to offset state budget cuts. Guests include Nick Johnson, director of the State Fiscal Project at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities; Elaine Mejia, director of the North Carolina Budget and Tax Center; and Noah Berger, executive director of the Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center.

View the webcast here:  http://www.spotlightonpoverty.org/news.aspx?id=b5ef29ed-7e5a-4218-bfa8-c149a6abf902

Roadmap to End Childhood Hunger in America by 2015

A coalition of the nation's leading secular and faith-based anti-hunger organizations released a report outlining nine steps to eliminate childhood hunger. Among its proposals, the report recommends strengthening income supports and the nutritional safety net. The Roadmap to End Childhood Hunger also urges policymakers to take immediate steps such as reauthorizing child nutrition programs and reforming unemployment insurance to include part-time workers. The National Anti-Hunger Organizations drafted the report in response to President Obama's goal to end childhood hunger by 2015.

Download the report here:  http://www.spotlightonpoverty.org/anti_poverty_proposals.aspx