How to Help Dads Thrive through Father-Inclusive Programs and Services

Dads are irreplaceable and essential for child well-being. Whether teaching them life skills, providing emotional support, or simply being a steady presence, dads’ profound impact on their children's growth and development is unique.

Research shows that when dads are actively involved, kids thrive emotionally, academically, and socially. (This infographic does a great job of summarizing the strengths of father presence.) But despite these benefits, many dads face hurdles to participating in parenting, especially when it comes to accessing programs and services that support families.

How can you better include dads in your programs and services and help them overcome these hurdles?

Let’s examine some common hurdles first and then explore how your organization can be more father inclusive.

Common Hurdles

• Society’s Stereotype of Dads – It's no secret that traditional gender roles often paint moms as the primary caregiver and dads as their backup or even superfluous. This stereotype can make dads feel like outsiders. Dads can see family-support programs and services as being exclusively or mainly for moms. Worse, they might fear judgment for taking a more active role in their children's lives, which can discourage them from seeking support in their parenting role.
• Lack of Father-Friendliness – Many family-support programs and services that espouse a whole-family approach unintentionally focus on moms. Their outreach materials and structure (e.g., times offered and topics of discussion) can make dads feel overlooked. While they want to include dads, they’re not designed with them in mind. As a result, dads miss out on valuable parenting support that benefits moms and children.
• Economic and Time Constraints – Many dads, especially those who work long hours or juggle multiple jobs, face economic and time pressures that can make participating in programs and services difficult. Their families need their income. Even when dads are willing to seek support, taking time off from work to access it during the times it’s offered isn’t an option.
• Residence and Custody Issues – For non-resident and non-custodial dads, getting the support they need as parents can be even more challenging. Some family-support programs and services don’t meet their needs, such as navigating child support laws, coping with the emotional challenges of separation from their children, and establishing cooperative communication with the custodial parent.

How to Be More Father Inclusive

• Promote Inclusive Messaging – One of the first steps is to make messaging more father inclusive. Terms that speak directly to dads, such as “fathers” and “dads,” ensure dads know they’re welcome and valued. Include images and testimonials from dads can encourage more dads to seek the parenting and related support you offer.
• Design for Father-Friendliness – Creating whole-family programs and services means thinking about what dads need and want, both in terms of content and logistics. It’s important to address topics relevant to dads, like how society’s views of masculinity and supporting moms as co-parents impact father involvement. Offering evening, weekend, and virtual options can help accommodate busy schedules. National Fatherhood Initiative® (NFI) offers a free Father Friendly Check-Up™ that can assess your organizational culture and inform next steps for improving father inclusivity in your programs and services.
• Provide Resources and Support for Dads – Since many dads see family-support programs and services as being exclusively or mainly for moms, it’s imperative to offer father-specific support. Case managers trained to address father-specific needs (e.g., work readiness, men’s health, housing opportunities, etc.) are a great way to provide that support. Additionally, creating peer support groups where dads can connect, share experiences, and learn from one another can foster a sense of community. 24:7 Dad® is an evidence-based program used by many organizations to accomplish that.
• Engage Dads Early – The earlier dads are engaged in their children’s lives, the more likely they’ll stay involved. Offering a program, service, or other resources for expectant or new dads can be a game-changer for your organization. They can help dads build confidence and feel more empowered in raising their children and supporting moms. NFI offers many resources for new and expectant dads that can be easily integrated into your programs and services.
• Collaborate with Legal Services – For dads dealing with custody and other legal challenges, partnering with legal services can also be a game-changer. Helping these dads navigate custody arrangements, child support, access and visitation, and other hurdles to involvement in their children’s lives can remove significant barriers to their current and ongoing involvement.

Conclusion

By recognizing the unique challenges dads face and making programs and services more father inclusive, your organization can benefit from doing more to support entire families and fostering greater father involvement in children’s lives. In doing so, your organization can help ensure more children will benefit from the love and support of both parents.

What hurdles do dads in your community face?

How can your organization be more father inclusive and help remove those hurdles?