Dads Matter!

Thanks to a mini-grant from the NYS Parenting Education Partnership, the Family Enrichment Collaborative is offering two more fatherhood series this fall, one in Hornell and the other in Corning.

Corning dates TBA. Click on the link below for the Hornell flyer - http://proactioninc.org/PDFs/Dad's_Matter_flyer_Sept_2012.pdf  

The US Census shows that one out of three children live in biological father-absent homes and vast amounts of research documents father-absence as a key factor in all of the social issues facing America today. These issues include high rates of child poverty, child abuse/maltreatment, teen pregnancy, juvenile crime/substance abuse, risk taking behaviors and lower academic achievement among our youth. All of these issues are prevalent in Steuben County and in most cases they exceed the numbers/ rates for all of New York State. A local survey of child/family programs identified multiple barriers to father engagement and can be summed up by saying, "We have done a very good job of meeting the needs of mothers and while unintentional, feeding a belief that fathers are the 'dispensable parent'." Absent support systems, fathers have been disenfranchised and placed at a distinct disadvantage when it comes to meeting their financial, legal and socio-emotional responsibilities to their children. This is further exacerbated by the media's portrayal of dads as dolts or misguided "big" kids.
 
We are excited about offering these fatherhood groups. These groups are intended to help fathers overcome this disadvantage through a journey of personal growth that increases their pro-fathering, knowledge, skills and attitudes, connects them to needed community resources and most importantly reduces the negative conditions affecting children and youth.    
 
Past participants have said: 
"I am building a better and stronger relationship with my children and also their mother." 
"Love them, model behavior, don't force, respect them, value them, listen to them."
 
More fatherhood resources can be found at the National Fatherhood Initiative www.fatherhood.org. For more information about the Family Enrichment Collaborative, contact Dawn Brucie at 776-2125 ext 319 or Wendy Robords ext 113 or brucied@proactioninc.org or robordsw@proactioninc.org