City Initiative to Make Absent Dads Better Parents

By Melissa A. Kay December 13, 2016

Nearly $3 million will be spent to expand the Fatherhood Initiative program.

Far too many kids are being raised without the steady presence of a father in their day-to-day lives. In fact, one out of three New York City kids are growing up in a home without dad around.

According to the Department of Youth and Community Development, this no-father-present dynamic can lead to poor school performance, poverty, and the chance for risky behaviors as the child develops. That is why the department is proposing an expansion of their Fatherhood Initiative program, which was first put in place in 2003.

The $2.8 million planned to strengthen this important program will fund eight community-based organizations throughout the city, which work to improve father-child relationships and bonds. The intention is for each contractor with the initiative to work with about 180 dads per year, an increase from the 120 aided in 2015.

Fathers will be required to take parenting skills workshops, and if they are so inclined, they may attend anger management classes as well as domestic violence prevention courses. Fathers will also be offered employment services if they have a prior criminal record, issues related to substance abuse, experience homelessness, and/or have a poor educational background.

Last year, 1,091 fathers were enrolled, and thanks to the Father Initiative program, 44 percent spent more time with their kids as a result and provided more financial support. With the new expansion in proposal, which is supported by Mayor de Blasio, these numbers should see a spike in the years to come.

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