Father Involvement

Introduction

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Introduction

Involving both parents in the education of their young children is a priority for the Family Enrichment Program. Until recently, the importance of father participation in the child rearing process has been ignored. Today the research has shown the power of the father's parenting role. Children who have both parents active and helpful in their lives often show a higher degree of self esteem, perform better in school, stay in school longer, and build healthier relationships throughout their lives. Furthermore, many of our society's most serious social issues have been linked to the loss of the bond between father and child. Therefore, it is vitally important that fathers be encouraged to be actively involved in the lives of their children, not only for the well-being of each child, but for all of us.

Many father get very little opportunity or support to learn the necessary skills to build strong relationships with their children. Two Father Facilitators, one English speaking and one Spanish speaking are integral members of the Family Enrichment Program staff. Their primary responsibility it to reach out to Fathers and provide them with information, support, and opportunities to be the best fathers they can possibly become. To talk to a Family Enrichment Program Father Facilitator, e-mail can be sent to shababat@fepecho.com.

The Family Enrichment Program Father Facilitators fulfill a variety of roles as they reach out to the men whose infants and toddlers participate in the Family Enrichment Program. They initiate phone contact with the men in the children's lives, make home visits, assist with the facilitation of daily parent education groups, lead tae bo wellness classes, lead special evening groups for dads only, and coordinate a variety of special evening events for families. In addition, the father facilitators participate as members of the program's family support team that periodically discusses how best to address the strengths and needs of all families.