The Child and Family Research Partnership (CFRP) is an independent, nonpartisan research center at the LBJ School of Public Affairs at The University of Texas at Austin. CFRP conducted a number of evaluations and studies on fatherhood, with topics including paternity establishment, young fathers (ages 18-25), and the Department of Family and Protective Services’ Prevention and Early Intervention Division’s (PEI) Fatherhood EFFECT Programs.
Below is the full evaluation report on the Fatherhood EFFECT Programs and a brief on how Texas can continue to support fathers.
Find more of CFRP’s evaluations and publications on fatherhood here.
Fatherhood EFFECT Evaluation: A Comprehensive Plan for Supporting Texas Fathers and Families (2017)
PEI developed the Educating Fathers for Empowering Children Tomorrow (EFFECT) Programs to support fathers and strengthen families through evidence-based fatherhood programs across the state. The Child and Family Research Partnership went to El Paso and Fort Worth to hear from dads about their lives and their experiences in Fatherhood EFFECT Programs. This report shares the findings of those focus groups and provides an overview of fatherhood programs, state and local efforts to serve fathers in Texas, and fatherhood initiatives across the United States.
Fatherhood in Texas: Texas is Supporting Fathers, But Can Do More (2018)
Father-specific supports in Texas feature an array of services, including state-funded programs and local initiatives designed to increase fathers’ economic self-sufficiency and improve their parenting knowledge and skills. Although Texas has taken important steps to support fathers, there are still gaps in services at the state and local level. The establishment of a formal state-level council to support fatherhood offers a promising first step for addressing these gaps.
