Fathering at Risk

The decline of fatherhood is one of the most serious problems currently facing our society. While in 1960 both fathers and mothers were present in almost 81 percent of family households, by 1990 both parents were present in only 58 percent of family households. Unfortunately, this negative trend has continued into the new century.
This in-depth and informative study of fathering at risk emphasizes the importance of a father’s presence in a child’s life, and then concentrates on what society can do to reverse the dangerous trend toward absentee fathers. Utilizing a strengths perspective, the authors move beyond the realm of theory to present a selection of policy initiatives and program strategies that have been successful in helping unmarried fathers, teenage fathers, and divorced noncustodial fathers. These include alternatives to welfare, initiatives to involve teenage fathers, family-sensitive employment policies, innovative intervention models for helping unmarried nonresidential fathers, and post-divorce educational and mediation programs that stress the continuing cooperation of the divorced partners for the sake of their children’s welfare.
Complete with case studies, discussion questions at the end of each chapter, an appendix of father’s organizations and web sites, plus numerous references for further reading, this thoroughly researched and forward-looking discussion makes an excellent contribution to addressing a serious social problem.

James R. Dudley, Ph.D. (Charlotte, NC), is professor at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, a licensed clinical social worker, a former associate of the Fathers Center (Philadelphia, PA) and the Philadelphia Society to Protect Children, and a consulting editor for Family Relations.
Glenn Stone, Ph.D. (Oxford, OH), is assistant professor at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio; a licensed clinical social worker; a marital and family therapist; and a consulting editor for the Journal of Genetic Psychology.