Story Starters: Family Support: Resurrection Lutheran Fatherhood Program

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Story Starters: Family Folder: Family Support File

Lead: Men on probation work to become better fathers.

Synopsis
Leonard has been absent for ten years of his children's lives. He is acutely aware of how his children have suffered from his mistakes, as they were abused in foster care settings and are now living with their grandmother. Leonard wants to become a better father and is currently involved in the Resurrection Lutheran Fatherhood Program (RFP), part of the Massachusetts Probation Service. RFP is a 12-session program, with six to eight participants per session, dedicated to helping formerly incarcerated fathers increase their responsible behavior toward their children and the mother of their children. The basic principles of the program are that fathers are responsible for the following:

giving affection to their children
giving gentle guidance to their children
providing financial support to their children and the mother of their children
setting a proud example for their children by living within the law and without the taint of alcohol/drug abuse

Men in the corrections system are one of the many groups of absent fathers in the United States. Some fathers may be absent because of divorce or military service; others can feel a sense of absence due to the fact that they work long hours which prevent them from spending time with their children. In a 1996 Gallup Poll on fathering, 79% of Americans surveyed stated that the most significant family or social problem facing America is the absence of the father from the home. The impact of missing fathers on their children is revealed in these statistics:

63% of all youth suicides occur in children from fatherless homes (US DHHS, Bureau of Census)
85% of all children that exhibit behavioral disorders come from fatherless homes (Criminal Justice and Behavior, Vol. 14.)

Massachusetts psychologist Todd Gross says that fathers who are willing to learn should be exposed to the teaching of parenting skills, no matter how long they have been absent. He goes on to state, "This can be learned. You need models and an ability to overcome negative experience." Dr. Gross notes that men in all walks of life seem hungry for information on how to become better fathers.

Dr. Anthony King, who has worked extensively with prison inmates, believes that it is worthwhile to work with such men. Many of them, he says, have had time to reflect on their family lives and they are concerned about their relationships. Former inmates need help re-establishing relationships, or establishing them for the first time. "They realize that it is up to them to get involved in their children's lives to make sure they don't follow in their footsteps."

Resurrection Lutheran seeks to give its participants skills, confidence, and support. Michael, another graduate of the program, states, "My kids are my investments--I know what I have to do."

Program
Resurrection Lutheran Fatherhood Program
Rev. John Heinemeir
Pastor and Group Leader
Resurrection Lutheran Church
94 Warren St.
Roxbury, MA 02119
(617) 427-2066

Resurrection Lutheran Fatherhood Program (RFP) is part of the Massachusetts Probation Service
RFP is a 12-session program, with six to eight participants per session, dedicated to helping formerly incarcerated fathers increase their responsible behavior toward their children and the mother of their children.
The basic principles of the program are that fathers are responsible for the following:
- giving affection to their children
- giving gentle guidance to their children
- providing financial support to their children and the mother of their children
- setting a proud example for their children by living within the law and without the taint of alcohol/drug abuse

The Massachusetts Probation Service currently has seven Fatherhood Programs, located at the following courts: Dedham/Norfolk Probate, Dorchester, Gardner, Lynn, Salem/Essex Superior, Roxbury, and West Roxbury District Courts

Story Contacts
Michael and Leonard
Contact Nancy Martland, CFN Program Director
(617) 627-5314
E-mail: nmartlan@emerald.tufts.edu

Rev. John Heinemeir
Pastor and Group Leader
Resurrection Lutheran Church
94 Warren St.
Roxbury, MA 02119
(617) 427-2066

John Martin
Group Leader, Assistant Chief Probation Officer
Roxbury District Court
85 Warren St.
Roxbury, MA 02119
(617) 427-7000, x433

Shereen Tyrrell
The Children's Trust Fund
294 Washington St., Suite 640
Boston, MA 02108
(617) 727-8957
The Children's Trust Fund supports the RFP with a grant.

Expert Contacts
Dr. Todd Gross
Psychologist
Director, Adams Street Associates
Contact Nancy Martland, CFN Director
(617) 627-5325
E-mail: nmartlan@emerald.tufts.edu
Relevant area: Parenting

Dr. Anthony E. O. King
Associate Professor of Social Work
University of Alabama
E-mail: aking@sw.ua.edu; king5@msn.com
Relevant areas: African-American fatherhood, crime and violence, the prison system.

Lynn Margolies
(617) 244-2444
Relevant area: Family relationships.

Jack Miller
Family Support Manager
The Children's Trust Fund
294 Washington St, Suite 640
Boston, MA 02108
(617) 727-8957
Relevant area: Fatherhood

Background
In 1994, 24% of American children lived in single mother households, up from 8% in 1960. (Report of the State of Connecticut Commission on Children, http://www.state.ct.us/coc/fatherho.htm)

Positive father involvement contributes to the cognitive, socio-emotional, and moral development of children from infancy through early adulthood. (Report of the State of Connecticut Commission on Children, http://www.state.ct.us/coc/fatherho.htm)

Communities with high levels of father absence tend to also have high rates of poverty, crime, and young men in prison. (Report of the State of Connecticut Commission on Children, http://www.state.ct.us/coc/fatherho.htm)

The U.S. is now the world's leader in fatherless families. (National Fatherhood Initiative, http://www.leaderu.com/fatherfacts/index.html)

References
Allen, W.D., and Doherty, W.J. (1996) The responsibilities of fatherhood as percieved by African-American teenage fathers. Families in Society: the Journal of Contemporary Human Services. Vol 77, no 3, pp142-155.

Engle, Patrice L. and Breaux, Cynthia (1998) Fathers' Involvement with Children: Perspectives from Developing Countries. Society for Research in Child Development, Social Policy Report. Vol XII, No 1.

Lamb, M.E. and Elster, A.B. (1986) The Role of the Father in Child Development, third edition. New York: John Wiley & Sons.

Levant, R.F. (1988) Education for Fatherhood. In P. Bronstein and C.P. Cowan (eds.), Fatherhood Today: Men's Changing Role in the Family. New York: Wiley

McBride, B.A. and McBride, R.J. (1993) Parent education and support programs for fathers. Childhood Education, vol 70, no 1, pp4-9.

The Fatherhood Project is a national research and education program that is examining the future of fatherhood and developing ways to support men's involvement in childrearing.
http://www.fatherhoodproject.org

National Center for Fathering
http://www.fathers.com

Fathering Magazine
http://www.fathermag.com

"Fatherly Advice" weekly column by Dr. Wade Horn, published in The Washington Times.
http://www.fatherhood.org/horn-advice.html

"Project Fatherhood." Children's Institute International program designed to encourage low-income, urban Los Angeles fathers to participate in rearing their children.
http://www.childrensinstitute.org/Programs/father.html

Related Coverage
Churches Reaching Out to Men, The Boston Globe, February 16, 1998 page A1. By Diego Ribandeneira.

Report on Effort to Aid poor Fathers Offers Discouraging News, The New York Times, September 29, 1998. Section A, p 16. By Jason DeParle

Dad's in the dark: Survey: men lack knowledge of kids, Chicago Sun-times, June 3, 1997 NWS p4. By Yochi Dreazen

Boys with Absentee Dads Twice as Likely to Be Jailed, The Washington Post, August 21, 1998. Page A3.

Compiled by:
Julie MacDonald, Jennifer Ross, and Judy Walcott