Fatherhood Research & Practice Network

New FRPN Grantee Report

Since 2014, the Fatherhood Research and Practice Network (FRPN) has awarded funding to 20 research projects. A new report for one project is now available.

Understanding the Experiences and Needs of Nonresident Fathers with Children in Kinship Care

Kinship care typically involves a relative raising a child when the biological parents are unable or unwilling. North Carolina State University received FRPN funding to conduct a study examining paternal engagement in kinship care through qualitative interviews with fathers, relative caregivers, and social service providers.

The study found that in addition to the usual challenges low-income fathers with criminal justice and substance abuse issues face in their efforts to be engaged with their nonresident children, fathers with children in kinship care were confused about their role and legal standing. They lacked guidance on how to coparent with relative caregivers. Coparenting relationships differed if the caregiver was a maternal versus a paternal relative. Fathers reported deferring to caregivers and caseworkers to maintain peace within the kinship care arrangement. Caregivers noted other problems: the absence of a clear delineation of roles, inconsistent patterns of paternal support and involvement, and lack of material and financial resources. They felt overwhelmed by their caregiving duties and typically were without future plans for the relative child and his or her care. Practitioners said they engage with fathers of children in kinship care like they do with all nonresident fathers. Some referenced the need for additional kinship care training related to fathers' needs, coparenting, and family dynamics.

More research is needed on family dynamics in kinship care, including perspectives of children and adolescents.

Download the study.

Tip Sheets for Addressing Domestic Violence in Fatherhood Programs

Based on their January 2020 FRPN study, Responsible Fatherhood Groups and Domestic Violence Education: An Exploratory Study of Current Practices, Barriers, and Opportunities, Fernando Mederos and Kristie Thomas of Simmons College have prepared the following tip sheets for programs and practitioners.

The first tip sheet, Addressing Domestic Violence: Evidence-Informed Goals for Fatherhood Programs, offers programs suggestions to: foster a commitment to understand and address domestic violence, develop collaborations with domestic violence programs, and incorporate domestic violence content into existing core curricula — all while staying true to the purpose of responsible fatherhood groups.

The second tip sheet, Addressing Domestic Violence: Evidence-Informed Strategies for RFG Facilitators, offers facilitators and the domestic violence advocates they collaborate with a variety of thoughtful, effective practices to engage fathers in conversations and reflections about domestic violence.

OPRE Releases New Responsible Fatherhood Report

The Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation has released a new report detailing how four Pathways-to-Outcomes models may contribute to intended outcomes. Each model focuses on one outcome domain measured in the Parents and Children Together (PACT) evaluation: (1) healthy relationships between co-parents, (2) father development and well-being, (3) consistent employment; and (4) parenting skills and father involvement.