The information in this program outline is provided by the program representative and edited by the CEBC staff. The Project Fatherhood program has been reviewed by the CEBC in the area of: Father Involvement Interventions, but lacks the necessary research evidence to be given a Scientific Rating.

• Types of Maltreatment: Does not target any specific kind of maltreatment
• Target Population: Fathers, significant others, and at-risk children.

Project Fatherhood has fathers meet in a group setting. There the fathers discuss day-to-day issues involved with parenting their children. The members of the group can only relate to each other in a positive supportive manner. A children’s group and a significant others’ group also meet and do activities at the same time as the fathers’ group.

The goal of Project Fatherhood is to help fathers parent their children in a manner that helps them develop a trusting supportive relationship.

The essentials components of Project Fatherhood include:

• 40 hours of training in the fatherhood model.
• Group leaders assessing the fathers, the children, and significant others.
• Activities and discussion focusing on the relationship between the father and children.
• Non-labeling, non-interpretational, and non-confrontational communication among group members.
• Disclosure by all members of the group.
• Cover certain specific content areas.
• Commitment to process by group leaders and group members.

Project Fatherhood was designed with a child component that addresses the following presenting problems and symptoms:

• Self-Esteem, PTSD, and separation and loss

Age range: 6 – 17

Developmental Delays:

This program was not developed for children with developmental delays, and has not been tested for children with developmental delays.

Project Fatherhood was designed with a parent/caregiver component that addresses the following presenting problems and symptoms:

• The relationship between the fathers and their at-risk children

Treatment Involves Family/Support Structures:

This program involves the family or other support systems in the individual's treatment: Significant others group

Project Fatherhood was designed to be conducted in a group setting; but has not been tested for use in a group setting.

Recommended group size:

8-12

Recommended Intensity:

90-minute weekly sessions

Recommended Duration:

Open-Ended, 6 to 10 months

This program is typically conducted in a(n):

• Community Agency
• Religious Organization
• School

This program does not include a homework component.

Project Fatherhood has materials available in a language other than English:

Spanish

For information on which materials are available in this language, please check on the program's website or contact the program representative (contact information is listed at the bottom of this page).

The typical resources for implementing the program are:

Rooms for groups, DVD player, TV, one graduate level mental health professional and 2 other experienced counselor therapists.

Master’s level counselor/therapist with 3 years group counseling experience for leading the fathers group.

There is a manual that describes how to implement this program, and there is training available for this program.

Training Contact:

• Hershel K. Swinger, PhD
  HSwinger@childrensinstitute.org
  phone: (213) 385-5100 x1884

Training is obtained:

On-site and at Children's Institute

Number of days/hours:

5 Days, 40 Hours

This program has been reviewed and it was determined that this program lacks the type of published, peer-reviewed research that meets the CEBC criteria for a scientific rating of 1 – 5. Therefore, the program has been given the classification of "NR - Not able to be Rated." It was reviewed because it was identified by the topic expert as a program being used in the field, or it is being marketed and/or used in California with children receiving services from child welfare or related systems and their parents/caregivers. Some programs that are not rated may have published, peer-reviewed research that does not meet the above stated criteria or may have eligible studies that have not yet been published in the peer-reviewed literature. For more information on the "NR - Not able to be Rated" classification, please see the Scientific Rating Scale.

Child Welfare Outcomes: Not Specified

Currently, there are no published, peer-reviewed research studies for Project Fatherhood.

No reference materials are currently available for Project Fatherhood.