Fathers’ contributions to children’s well-being
Date
2007
Authors
Ball, Jessica
Moselle, Ken
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Father Involvement Initiative - Ontario Network
Abstract
Links between mothers’ health, literacy, and behaviours and their children’s
well-being are well understood and widely accepted. Canada, like many
other countries, has made long standing investments in a national program
for maternal and child health. Are there sufficiently clear links between
paternal health, literacy, and behaviours and children’s well-being to justify
investments in securing father’s involvement in supporting their children’s
health and development?
This report brings key lines of research evidence and ecological concepts of
health to bear in thinking through the connections between father’s
involvement and children’s well-being. The report encourages a broadening
of viewpoints beyond linear research designs and practice models that focus
on direct impacts of father’s direct engagements with children: in addition to
these approaches, we need to engage non-linear, systems approaches that
recognize and measure impacts that fathers may have on the quality of
environments for children’s growth and development.
This report is intended to animate discussion about the importance of
fathers to children in Canada, and to stimulate research and policy
interventions that will effectively increase the visibility of fatherhood in
thinking about how to promote child and youth health. The report provides
a rationale for programs to encourage, prepare, support, and intervene with
fathers, with the goal of optimizing the potential of fatherhood as a critical
contribution to help children thrive.
Description
This document was reproduced with the permission of the authors. For
additional copies of the REPRINT or to view other FII-ON REPRINTS and
materials: www.cfii.ca (613) 257-2779
Keywords
Citation
Ball, Jessica and Moselle, Ken. 2007 "Fathers’ contributions to children’s well-being".Carleton Place, ON : FATHER INVOLVEMENT INITIATIVE-ONTARIO NETWORK (FII-ON)