
Introduction
When child welfare agencies successfully engage fathers in their children’s cases, the agencies create a connection that can improve children’s outcomes (Casey Family Programs 2019). Despite research showing that engaging fathers and extended family can benefit children (Diniz et al. 2021; Erola et al. 2018; Corwin et al. 2020) and a deepening focus on parent engagement in child welfare, fathers and paternal relatives have historically not been well engaged in child welfare services (Administration for Children and Families 2018).
This infographic describes distinct opportunities, or touch points, for child welfare agencies to engage fathers and paternal relatives during a family’s involvement in the child welfare system, from system entry to system exit. Five child welfare agencies participating in the Fathers and Continuous Learning in Child Welfare (FCL) project, conducted under contract with the Administration for Children and Families, Department of Health and Human Services, developed potentially promising strategies to strengthen father and paternal relative engagement in child welfare. This infographic highlights examples potentially promising strategies developed by agencies participating in the FCL project for each touch point.
Purpose
This infographic aims to map the various opportunities, or touch points, within a child welfare case where fathers and paternal relatives can be engaged by child welfare staff. It also provides specific examples of potentially promising engagement strategies developed by child welfare agencies participating in the FCL project.
Key Findings and Highlights
The opportunities presented in this infographic describe the distinct activities during which child welfare
staff have an opportunity to engage and involve fathers and paternal relatives. From system entry to system exit, these opportunities include:
- Initial contact, hotline report, and screening,
- Initial system response, investigation, and intake,
- Courts and hearings,
- Coordination and planning meetings,
- Services provided to the family, overseen by child welfare,
- Visitation,
- Critical appointments, meetings, and events, and
- Reunification, adoption, and system exit
Methods
This infographic is based on touch points that were identified through a series of discussions with child welfare researchers and consultants to the project. A technical working group (TWG) consisting of federal staff, child welfare system partners, and child welfare and fatherhood experts also provided feedback on the touch points. Once a complete list of possible touch points was compiled, the touch points were refined and organized into the final eight categories discussed in this infographic. The examples of strategies were identified through site visits conducted with the five agencies participating in FCL during summer and fall 2022.
Citation
Baumgartner, Scott, Diletta Mittone, M.C. Bradley, and Jennifer Bellamy (2023). A Pathway for Engaging Fathers and Paternal Relatives in Child Welfare. OPRE Report #2023-063, Washington, DC: Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Glossary
- Fathers and Continuous Learning in Child Welfare (FCL):
- The FCL project is designed to test the use of the Breakthrough Series Collaborative methodology. For this project, the methodology was used to improve placement stability and permanency outcomes for children by strengthening the engagement of fathers and paternal relatives with children involved in child welfare, and to add to the evidence base on engagement strategies for fathers and paternal relatives. FCL is funded by the Office of Family Assistance and directed by the Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation in partnership with the Children’s Bureau, all within the Administration for Children and Families in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.