Dad Matters is a research-based program that provides information for fathers about what it means to be a dad and engages mothers in strategies for inclusion of fathers in a child’s growth and development.
Dad Matters educates, supports, and encourages fathers to be involved, responsible and committed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week – and has been proven to significantly increase protective factors shown to reduce the risk of child abuse and neglect.
This 12-session course is delivered individually through personal family visits and in group settings and encourages strong attachment with both parents, more effective co-parenting skills, and the inclusion of fathers in their child’s daily routines. Dad Matters is a universal access program, open to any father looking for support; there are no income guidelines or cost for enrollment.
Related Information & Statistics
- Youth with an active father figure express better social-emotional and academic function, and are less likely to engage in criminal behavior
- Pregnant women without the support of the father are more likely to experience pregnancy loss
- A disengaged father figure is a strong predictor of behavioral problems starting as young as 1 year of age
- A recent study of 835 juvenile inmates found that fatherhood absence was a significant disadvantage, with inmates from father-absent homes being 279% more likely to carry guns and deal drugs than their peers living with their fathers
- Over 17 million children live in father-absent homes in America
- One Pew Research Center study reports that of fathers who live apart from their children, 41% are in touch daily with their children, 28% communicate at least once a month, and 31% talk with their children less than once a month
Positive Impact
MHANWI Parent Educator
MHANWI Family Support Specialist
MHANWI Program Supervisor
Enrolled Parent in MHANWI Program
MHANWI Family Support Specialist
Enrolled Parent in MHANWI Program
MHANWI Parent Educator
MHANWI Parent Educator
MHANWI Family Support Specialist
Proven Results!
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