FATHERHOOD initiative: Parenting From Prison

1. FATHERHOOD initiative: Parenting From Prison Holly Thompson, Kids First Mary Dennis, Kids Peace Marie Kalinyak, PFCS

2. Introduction • Father involvement improves children’s quality of life • The number of children with an incarcerated father is on the rise • Failing to engage these fathers harms children

3. The Impact of Father Absence • Children are: • Five times more likley to live in poverty • More likely to bring weapons to school • More likely to bring drugs to school • Twice as likely to commit a crime • Twice as likely to drop out of school • Twice as likely to be abused • More likely to commit suicide • More than two times as likely to abuse drugs or alcohol • More likely to become pregnant as a teenager • SOURCE: Father Facts (National Fatherhood Inititive)

4. Myths About Incarcerated Fathers • “It will just upset the child to see their father in prison.” • “There’s a reason why they are there. Good Dad’s don’t go to prison.” • “He should have thought about that before he committed the crime.” • “Prisons are scary, dangerous places for children.”

5. The Effects of Incarceration • Incarceration leads to immediate and long term effects • Increases the chance that children, especially boys, will go to prison • The lack of connection increases the risk of recidivism and decreases the likelihood of successful reentry, including legal employment

6. The Effects of Incarceration (cont.) • Financial Loss and Added Expenses • Stigma of Incarceration • Loss of Parent/Child Bond • Added Stress on Grandparents and Extended Family Members • Costs to the Commnity, Its Systems, and Society • Potential Loss of Parental Rights • Family Instability • Loss of Intimacy • Child-Related Concerns… and more

7. Reasons to Engage Incarcerated Fathers • Maintaining parental engagement and contact/visitation can help the child cope with the situation • Contact and visitation helps sustain the parent/child bond • Maintaining connections can help decrease the rate of recidivism • Maintaining contact helps parents maintain parental rights • Helps with family reunification upon reentry

8. Children with Incarcerated Fathers in Blair County • There are an estimated 138 incarcerated men in the Blair County Prison who are fathers to minor children • Lack of services to support father engagement with their children • No physical contact for visits

9. Fatherhood Intiative Grant Awarded to Blair County • Program provides group and individual support to incarcerated fathers in the Blair County Prison • Target Population- any father whose incarceration in excess of 30 days disrupts the relationship with his child(ren) age 12 or younger • Inside Out Dad’s group parenting program • Make and Mail Workshops • Contact Visitation • Video Visitation • Visit Coaching • Family Group Decision Making • Aftercare Services

10. Blair County Visiting Room

11. Blair County Visiting Room (cont.)

12. Data Measurement Tools • Inside Out Dad Pre/Post Survey • The survey has a total of 65 questions and covered five areas: • Part A - About You and Your Family (Demographics) • Part B - About Being a Father and Your Relationships • Part C - About Your Fathering Knowledge • Part D - How You Father Today • Part E - Your Thoughts on Fathering • The data gathered spans from April 1, 2012 through December 31, 2013 for both assessment tools. • Protective Factors Survey • The Protective Factor Survey is a pre-post evaluation tool that measures protective factors in five areas: family functioning/resiliency, social support, concrete support, nurturing and attachment, and knowledge of parenting/child development. These protective factors are associated with healthy family functioning and a lower risk of child maltreatment. • Data results changes in the participating Father’s perception about the supports and resource available to him.

13. Data Results • Inside Out Dad Survey Results • 18 Fathers have completed the post-survey • 1.5 is the average gain in knowledge for fathers who have completed both portions of the survey • 6.33 points is the average gain that reflects that fathers have had a positive shift in their attitude about being a father as a result of their participationin the program. • Protective Factor Survey Results • Nurturing and Attachment was rated as the most significant protective factor at both pre-test (5.89) and post-test (6.01) • Family Functioning is identified as the least significant protective factor both pre-test (4.7) and post-test (2.3) • In comparison to pre- and post-survey scores, fathers showed the highest gains in the area of Social Support (0.5966) while the least amount of growth is seen in Family Functioning (-0.5882) and Knowledge of Parenting and Child Development (-0.5882).

14. Troy and Xavier’s Story • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kj9Mc4xecL0

15. Troy and Xavier’s Story: Discussion Questions for Small Groups • Troy grew up without having a close relationship with his father. How do you think this impacted Troy as a child and as an adult? • What were your reactions to Xavier’s current relationship with his father? • How can we promote success stories like Troy and Xavier in your county?

16. FGDM • How FGDM partnered with the Father Initiative • How conferences are coordinated with incarnated fathers • Obstacles to coordination • How the conferences focuses on the re-entry plan

17. Things to Consider… • How has the population you work with been affected by incarcerated fathers? • How can your organization involve incarcerated fathers in a more active way? • What are you already doing to make fathers a part of your service? • How are incarcerated parents incorporated into your family group practice?

18. “Prison need not be the end of the road but the beginning of an interesting and productive life”