who    
       
       
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
       
   
       
Father Focus is a family empowerment initiative of Metropolitan Family Services, Inc. fostered through collaboration between the Partnership for Families Northside (comprised of 12 partnering agencies such as CHIP, Family Lifeline, YMCA, VCU Health Systems, and Goodwill) and Friends Association for Children, two innovative human service organizations committed to serving families in the Richmond community.
       
       
Our mission is driven by our commitment to improve children’s readiness for early education.  The ecological model on which school readiness is built posits that children’s healthy physical, mental, social, and emotional development during the early years depends upon the quality of their surroundings and interaction with others.  Children’s development and learning is not separate from the world in which they live.  Consequently, when parents understand, have the capacity, and commit themselves to fulfilling their roles as their child’s first teachers, children will more likely come to school ready to learn, they are more likely to succeed in school and more likely to later become responsible, productive members of society.
   

 
 

 
"Our mission is to strengthen families by helping men identify and overcome the challenges they face as fathers."
  
       
       
       
   

 

  
       
     
Increase fathers in Richmond’s Northside community’s understanding of the roles fathers play in the lives of children through Parental Education Groups focusing on Fatherhood.
 
       
     
Strengthen fathers in Richmond’s Northside community’s capacities to fulfill their role as fathers through referrals to community resources such as employment assistance and job skills development, housing, substance abuse, anger management, crisis management and legal assistance.
  
       
     
Increase public awareness in the Richmond City area on the role fathers play in the development of children through a creative social marketing campaign including public service announcements on radio, TV and local newspapers, human service provider trainings and workshops in faith-based and community organizations.
  
         
     
   

 

  
         
   

  “The teenage pregnancy problem in America is not new.  Since births to teenagers were first labeled as a   major social program in the 1970’s, many new programs were developed to address this problem.  The   emphasis, however, has been viewed primarily as a woman’s issues, with the young father regarded as a   shadowy, unknown figure-more a culprit than a potential contributor to either the mother or his child.”   (Southwest Key Program, Inc)

  
       
   

  It is clear that the importance of the role of fathers has been severely under valued.  Yet, current     studies  show that children with involved, loving fathers are more likely to do better in school, have   healthy self  esteem, exhibit empathy and pro-social behavior, and avoid high-risk behaviors such as drug   use,  truancy, and criminal activity compared to children who have uninvolved fathers.

  
       
     
Several studies show that the greatest predictor of juvenile delinquency and teen pregnancy is the absence of fathers in the home.
 
     
 
     
Over 100 studies on parent-child relationships reported that 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.
 
     
 
     
Premature infants whose fathers spent more time playing with them had better cognitive outcomes at age three.
  
     
 
     
Fathers who set appropriate limits and allowed healthy independence tended to rear sons with high academic achievement.
 
     
 
     
In a 26 year-long study, the number one factor in developing empathy was father involvement.
  
     
 
     
Fathers who spent regular time alone with their children raised children who became compassionate adults.
 
     
 
     
Higher levels of father involvement in children’s typical routines and activities are associated with fewer behavior problems, higher levels of sociability and a high level of performance among children and adolescents.
 
     
 
     
Fathers are more than just “second adults” in the home. Involved fathers— especially biological fathers—bring positive benefits to their children that no other person is as likely to bring.
 
     
 
     
Fathers usually have a parenting style that is different from that of mothers and that difference is important in healthy child development.
 
         
     
   

 

  
         
      2 times more likely to commit suicide  
         
      10 times more likely to run away  
         
      6 times more likely to have behavioral problems  
         
      4 times more likely to commit rape  
         
      2.5 times more likely to drop out of high school  
         
      3 times more likely to abuse drugs  
         
      3 times more likely to end up in state institutions  
         
      6 times more likely to end up in prison  
         
         
         
Copyright © 2006 fatherfocusrichmond.All Rights Reserved
Site designed and developed by ABCO Technology Inc.