Training For Professionals

Professionals working with fathers, children, and families in healthcare, mental health, education and social service settings have an unprecedented opportunity to positively affect the impact fathers have on their children’s lives through father engagement.

Hospitals & Clinics

A well-established body of research confirms that when men are active and positively engaged in their children’s lives early, they play a key role in their child’s growth and development. Despite the enormous benefits of responsible father/father-figure involvement, far too many children still do not get the proven benefits of having a caring dad/adult male in their lives. Healthcare professionals can encourage father involvement through education and active engagement of both parents in all obstetric and pediatric visits.

Training for Obstetrics Professionals

Training for: Obstetrics Professionals

Single or multi-session formats begin with a brief assessment of the current state of fatherhood in society, in healthcare, in obstetrics, and in personal lives. Drawing on current research, case studies, and digital stories, the focus shifts to understanding and addressing three essential needs men have during the prenatal and peri-natal stages: connection, confidence, and competence.

TFP is currently collaborating with the MGH Department of Obstetrics on a research initiative to develop evidence-based interventions that will improve prenatal patient experiences for fathers and families.

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Training for Pediatric Professionals

Training for: Pediatric Professionals

Interactive training, delivered in single or multi-session formats, begins with an assessment of the current state of father engagement in pediatrics, as well as a discussion about parenting and the pediatrician’s role. Drawing on current research, case studies, and digital stories, participants address challenges and barriers to relating to and educating fathers, and explore creative ways to engage fathers in well-child visits over time.

TFP is currently collaborating with Elsie Taveras and her First 1,000 Days Program on a research initiative aimed at developing and evaluating interventions specifically for fathers to decrease obesity in their children. Once interventions are empirically evaluated, TFP will contribute to educating pediatric staff in new programatic ways to include fathers in obesity prevention.

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Training for Pediatric Interns & Residents

Training for: Pediatric Interns & Residents

Achieving positive structural change in the father experience at MGH during well-child and medical visits is desired across multiple specialties. TFP communicates key information on fatherhood to pediatric interns and residents to facilitate the development of new processes and methods for addressing the needs of fathers. Delivered in single or multi-session formats, doctors-in-training begin with discussions about modern fatherhood, parenting and pediatric practices. Participants reflect on their capacity to engage fathers in collaborative care of their children. Drawing on current research, case studies and digital stories, a variety of approaches to father engagement in health and well-child visits are explored.

The Fatherhood Project interviews Peter Greenspan, MD, Medical Director of MGH Hospital for Children, about including fathers in pediatric practice:

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The Fatherhood Project's ability to connect and convey their message to parents and professionals is superb. All parents, both mothers and fathers alike, should hear what they have to say.

Janis Santos
National Head Start Association Board of Directors

Community Organizations

Despite the well-established body of research confirming the positive contribution dads can make to child health and well-being, the myth that dads don’t matter is both persistent and pervasive. At The Fatherhood Project, we believe that professionals working with fathers, children and families in healthcare, mental health, education and social service settings have an unprecedented opportunity to debunk this myth by making father engagement a priority.

Engagin fathers In the Community

Engaging Fathers: In the Community

This training provides social workers, therapists, educators, parent involvement coordinators, early education providers, and child development specialists, with useful concepts and practical skills to better engage, equip, and support dads in staying involved in children’s lives. Participants will review the latest research on how dads impact early brain development, learn practical strategies to better engage dads in family work, and take away actionable tools to start or enhance a father- involvement program in any early childhood education or human service setting.

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Engagin fathers In Schools

Engaging Fathers: In Schools

Research shows that when fathers/father-figures (resident and non-resident alike) are more involved in the school community beyond just attending sporting events – volunteering, attending class, grade and whole school events, showing up for conferences and getting involved in the parent association – children have been shown to get better grades, go further with their education and actually enjoy school more. Yet, most schools and parent organizations today do little to engage and educate dads beyond sporadically hosting events like the annual “dads and donuts day.” Using examples from different school settings, this training provides key steps and strategies for consistently and meaningfully engaging dads in the parent organization, at grade-levels and at the whole school community level.

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we've worked with:

  • MGH Department of Obstetrics
  • MGH Department of Pediatrics
  • The U.S. Dept. of Health & Human Services
  • MA Dept. of Children and Families
  • National Head Start Association
  • Boys and Girls Club
  • Mass Correctional Institutes Shirley & Concord
  • Harvard School of Public Health
  • Revere High School
  • Boston Public Schools
  • Haverhill Area Healthy Families
  • MGH Revere Home Visitors
  • ABCD Mattapan Head Start
  • The Children’s Trust
  • Family Continuity Health Centers
  • Judge Loza, Cook County Circuit Court
  • MA Dept. of Corrections Executive Leadership Cmte.

Research

Current research, such as recent neuroscience findings about how fathers impact children’s brain development.

Practices

Evidence-based practices for working with fathers that are culturally sensitive and context-specific.

Strategy

Ready-to-implement strategies to engage, equip & support fathers in connecting with their children from birth to age 18.

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