Journal of Family Social Work, 12(3), July 2009, pp.211-226.
Publisher:
Taylor and Francis
Place of publication:
Philadelphia, USA
This study investigates the extent to which the extended family provides support to African American nonresident fathers and its influence on their involvement with their children. The data for this study were collected from 278 African American nonresident fathers as a part of the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study. The findings revealed that increased support from the child's paternal extended family was associated with higher levels of father involvement. However, increased support from the child's maternal extended family was associated with lower levels of father involvement. Implications for social work practice are included.
This study investigates the extent to which the extended family provides support to African American nonresident fathers and its influence on their involvement with their children. The data for this study were collected from 278 African American nonresident fathers as a part of the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study. The findings revealed that increased support from the child's paternal extended family was associated with higher levels of father involvement. However, increased support from the child's maternal extended family was associated with lower levels of father involvement. Implications for social work practice are included.
Subject terms:
non-resident parents, relatives, black and minority ethnic people, families, family members, fathers, grandparents;
Child and Family Social Work, 9(3), August 2004, pp.295-303.
Publisher:
Wiley
... result in the breakdown of cohabitation or the termination of the relationship. This pattern of increasing relationship breakdown over time is related to decreasing paternal contact with children in both America and Britain. Often conflictual relationships with teenage mothers or maternal grandparents and a lack of financial resources are cited by young fathers as barriers to their continued fathers are. There is also some indication that a sizeable minority of young men may receive no such support from their family and may also be treated with hostility or ignored by the maternal grandparents. Young fathers also report limited or no contact with midwives, health visitors and social workers.
From the research available in America and Britain it would appear that the men who father children by teenage mothers tend to be a few years older than their teenage partners, although a minority may be significantly older. With regard to the factors associated with fatherhood there are striking similarities to the literature on teenage mothers. Like teenage mothers young fathers tend to be from low socio-economic backgrounds, experience lower educational attainment and fewer employment opportunities than their childless peers. Similarly they tend to experience greater psychological and emotional difficulties and may have a history of delinquent behaviour. These young fathers are involved in a variety of relationships with teenage mothers, few of which result in marriage and many of which result in the breakdown of cohabitation or the termination of the relationship. This pattern of increasing relationship breakdown over time is related to decreasing paternal contact with children in both America and Britain. Often conflictual relationships with teenage mothers or maternal grandparents and a lack of financial resources are cited by young fathers as barriers to their continued involvement and contact with their children. However, the mothers are much more likely to cite paternal disinterest as the reason for a lack of paternal involvement and there is some indication that mothers and fathers have different views on the level of practical involvement expected from fathers. While most of quantitative data on the subject provides a rather negative picture of paternal involvement, qualitative research highlights how many young fathers genuinely want to be involved with their children and would have more contact and input if they could. While much less is known about the support provided to young fathers in comparison with their female counterparts, there is some suggestion that the support and role expectations provided by the paternal grandmother may influence how involved young fathers are. There is also some indication that a sizeable minority of young men may receive no such support from their family and may also be treated with hostility or ignored by the maternal grandparents. Young fathers also report limited or no contact with midwives, health visitors and social workers.
Subject terms:
literature reviews, single parent families, children, contact, fathers, grandparents;
GREAT BRITAIN. Department for Children, Schools and Families
Publisher:
Great Britain. Department for Children, Schools and Families
Publication year:
2010
Pagination:
27p.
Place of publication:
London
... needs; mental health and disability; help and advice in managing couple and family relationships; support to help dads play a positive, active role in their children’s lives; specialist and peer-to-peer support for grandparents; and ways for separated relatives to stay in touch with their children in their lives. A one page fact sheet is provided for each aspect of the service.
Family Information Direct (previously known as Parent Know How) was set up in partnership with key voluntary and private sector organisations to enable parents and families in England to find the support and information they need, where and when they want it. The service has supported both the development of traditional telephone helplines and the establishment of online services, print video and audio content. The Family Information Directory, which went live in September 2009, is a comprehensive online directory of information about local and national services. Family Information Direct acts as sign post to services that are available in areas such as; support with the challenges of bringing up teenagers; expert advice on specialist issues such as child law, social care, special educational needs; mental health and disability; help and advice in managing couple and family relationships; support to help dads play a positive, active role in their children’s lives; specialist and peer-to-peer support for grandparents; and ways for separated relatives to stay in touch with their children in their lives. A one page fact sheet is provided for each aspect of the service.
Subject terms:
helplines, information services, parenting, parents, access to information, advice services, families, fathers, grandparents;
Journal of Social Welfare and Family Law, 31(2), 2009, pp.159-172.
Publisher:
Taylor and Francis
Place of publication:
Philadelphia, USA
As children are now more likely to live in non-traditional families and experience family transitions, more kin act as de-facto parents, at least in some respects. Unmarried fathers, grandparents and step-parents are increasingly pressing their claims for extending rights of contact with children after parental separation. Law reformers are said to be sensitive to public attitudes about changing
As children are now more likely to live in non-traditional families and experience family transitions, more kin act as de-facto parents, at least in some respects. Unmarried fathers, grandparents and step-parents are increasingly pressing their claims for extending rights of contact with children after parental separation. Law reformers are said to be sensitive to public attitudes about changing family norms. This paper traces how one European jurisdiction, Scotland, took account of these in relation to child contact in a family law reform process that culminated in the Family Law (Scotland) Act 2006. It compares the direction ultimately taken with public opinion, using evidence from a family attitudes module of the Scottish Social Attitudes survey. Where public attitudes are clear-cut, law reform can move in the direction of social attitudes. But where social attitudes are ambivalent or incompatible with other pressures for reform, they do not offer a steer for the direction of law reform.
Subject terms:
policy formulation, public opinion, separated parents, step families, children, contact, family law, fathers, grandparents;
Social Work: A journal of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW), 44(5), September 1999, pp.428-440.
Publisher:
Oxford University Press
This article describes the extent to which African American fathers participated in services on behalf of children placed in kinship foster homes because of abuse, neglect, or dependency. The data revealed that few fathers were involved in case assessments, case planning, or receipt of services. Explores the possible explanations for the low participation and identifies practice and policy changes that would increase father's involvement. Also argues for more research into this neglected topic.
This article describes the extent to which African American fathers participated in services on behalf of children placed in kinship foster homes because of abuse, neglect, or dependency. The data revealed that few fathers were involved in case assessments, case planning, or receipt of services. Explores the possible explanations for the low participation and identifies practice and policy changes that would increase father's involvement. Also argues for more research into this neglected topic.
Subject terms:
kinship care, placement, relatives, child care, fathers, foster care, foster children, grandparents;
Looks at the problem for social workers of whether they should tell a child that it's birth was the result of an incestuous relationship; and if they do tell the child, how the subject should be approached.
Looks at the problem for social workers of whether they should tell a child that it's birth was the result of an incestuous relationship; and if they do tell the child, how the subject should be approached.
Offers a multisystems perspective on childhood disability and its effects on family life. Integrates theory and research with personal accounts from family members in order to examine the many variables that shape a family's response to childhood disability and its ability to overcome the physical, cultural, and social barriers to a satisfactory lifestyle.
Offers a multisystems perspective on childhood disability and its effects on family life. Integrates theory and research with personal accounts from family members in order to examine the many variables that shape a family's response to childhood disability and its ability to overcome the physical, cultural, and social barriers to a satisfactory lifestyle.
Subject terms:
life style, parents, physical disabilities, siblings, social care provision, systems approach, therapies, therapy and treatment, children, families, fathers, grandparents;
PECK Judith Stern, SHEINBERG Marcia, AKAMATSU N. Norma
Journal article citation:
Family Process, 34(3), September 1995, pp.287-302.
Publisher:
Wiley
A central issue in the treatment of intrafamilial sexual abuse is the "secondary trauma" experienced by both the victimized child and her family when the wider system of regulatory and treatment agencies present redundant, incongruent, or conflicting perspectives and demands. Describes an attempt to effect second-order change through formation of a consortium of regulatory and treatment agencies to develop a consistent and coordinated response to the disclosure of sexual abuse.
A central issue in the treatment of intrafamilial sexual abuse is the "secondary trauma" experienced by both the victimized child and her family when the wider system of regulatory and treatment agencies present redundant, incongruent, or conflicting perspectives and demands. Describes an attempt to effect second-order change through formation of a consortium of regulatory and treatment agencies to develop a consistent and coordinated response to the disclosure of sexual abuse.
Subject terms:
incest, interagency cooperation, mothers, relatives, siblings, treatment, therapy and treatment, child sexual abuse, disclosure, fathers, grandparents;