Although there is great variety among men's fathering styles and involvement, public policy concerns generally center around fathers' economic contributions and responsibilities rather than other benefits fathers can bring to their children. Historically, the U.S. bias toward noninterference in family life except when society bears the costs of inattention has restricted the development of policies aimed at noneconomic aspects of family functioning. Yet policies aimed at economic aspects do have implications for the broad range of family functions. If family policies could be assessed in terms of both intended and unintended consequences for fathers' inclinations to remain involved with their children, it is possible that fathers could more often exert a positive influence on tomorrow's fathers and mothers. Mindful of the pressing needs of so many of the nation's children, the diversity of fathers, and the proliferation of research on fathers, the Board on Children and Families convened a workshop, “America's Fathers: Abiding and Emerging Roles in Family and Economic Support Policies,” held in Washington, D.C., on September 26-28, 1993. Participants were drawn from the research community, government agencies, and service providers (see page v). The main topics of discussion centered around child support, teenage fathers, fathers of disabled children, and inner-city poor fathers (see the Appendix for the workshop agenda).

Contents

• BOARD ON CHILDREN AND FAMILIES
• WORKSHOP PARTICIPANTS
• Acknowledgment
• Introduction
• The Many Faces of Fatherhood
  • ECONOMIC SUPPORT
  • FATHERS' INVESTMENTS OF TIME
  • INTERACTIONS WITH CHILDREN
  • FATHERS OF DISABLED CHILDREN
  • SUMMARY
• Barriers and Incentives to Involvement
  • FINANCIAL AND JOB-RELATED FACTORS
  • ROLE MODELS AND TEENAGE FATHERS
  • INFLUENCE OF OTHER RELATIONSHIPS
  • SUMMARY
• Public Policy
  • FEDERAL POLICIES: IDENTIFYING FATHERS AND MAKING THEM PAY
  • CUSTODY ISSUES AND FATHERS' RIGHTS
  • YOUNG FATHERS
  • SUMMARY
• Directions for Research
• References and Bibliography
• APPENDIX Workshop Agenda

Support for this project was provided by the Carnegie Corporation of New York, but the Corporation does not take responsibility for any views or statements in this report.

NOTICE: The project that is the subject of this report was approved by the Governing Board of the National Research Council, whose members are drawn from the councils of the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, and the Institute of Medicine. The members of the committee responsible for the report were chosen for their special competences and with regard for appropriate balance.

This report has been reviewed by a group other than the authors according to procedures approved by a Report Review Committee consisting of members of the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, and the Institute of Medicine.

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