Father engagement is a vital and integrated aspect of parent, family, and community engagement work. When staff engage fathers as advocates, lifelong educators, and first teachers of their children, both benefit. Male family members and father figures serve key roles in the healthy development of their children and families, and have much to add to their communities.

When it comes to the growth and development of young children, fatherhood engagement is an incredibly important influencer. In fact, research has shown that children benefit directly from the involvement of a father figure in their lives, especially an engaged father.

Findings from the rapidly growing science of early childhood and early brain development show the positive, lifelong impact fathers can have by being positively engaged early in their children’s lives (The Fatherhood Project).

There are long-term benefits for children when their fathers are engaged parents. Analysis of more than 100 studies on parent-child relationships found that “having a loving and nurturing father was as important for a child’s happiness, well-being, and social and academic success as having a loving and nurturing mother” (Department of Health & Human Services).

Fathers can have a positive impact on child welfare outcomes as well. One study found that children whose fathers are in the picture spend “less time in foster care, are more likely to achieve reunification, and have a lower likelihood of subsequent maltreatment allegations” (TrainingMatters-nc.org).

If you are a father, and you commit yourself to having a relationship with your child, the benefits are far from one-sided. By creating a positive relationship with your child, your own life will change for the better as well – you will experience positive gains in your own development and life decisions.