“How About Dad?”: Father Engagement Basics
This workshop was presented on July 26, 2023
Learn the basics on how to engage with fathers and increase your organization’s father friendliness. This training will discuss biases and common misconceptions, review research supporting father involvement, and identify best practices in strength-based father engagement and ways to help re-engage absent dads. Finally, we will discuss “Right Now” actions and resources you can take when you return to work!
Learners will:
- Understand bias and common misconceptions about fathers and father engagement
- Review research supporting father involvement
- Identify best practices for strength-based father engagement and ways to help re-engage absent dads
- Discuss “Right Now” actions and resources
Who should attend: All staff of family resource centers (FRCs), child abuse prevention councils (CAPCs), and other child- and family-serving organizations.
IMPORTANT TRAINING INFORMATION:
- This is an interactive training. Please be prepared to participate in activities such as group discussion, break out rooms, and/or demonstration. Your training experience will be best with the use of a web cam, audio, and a training environment conducive to active participation.
- This training will be recorded. The recording will be available to registered learners within 2 days of the training.
- By registering for a CalTrin training, you consent to be added to the CalTrin mailing list.
Training Materials & Resources:
- Recording
- Presentation Deck (3 slides/page)
- Roger De Leon Jr., 2023 Recipient, Casey Family Programs Birth Father Award (4:19)
- National Fatherhood Initiative
- National Responsible Fatherhood Clearinghouse
- Helping Dad to Reconnect
- Ayudando a papá a reconectarse
- Circles of Support
- Identificación de apoyo/redes paternas
Training certificates are only available following live trainings or completion of self-paced courses. A certificate will not be provided for review of these materials.
MEET THE SPEAKER
Roger De Leon is a birth father with lived experience and a passionate advocate for children and families. Roger uses his personal experience of successfully navigating the child welfare and court systems to inform his work. He is a dedicated father of 26 years, grandfather for 7 years, and is heavily involved in his community through his church, serving as an Assistant/ Youth Minister for the past 20 years.
Roger is an instructor for the UC Davis Resource Center for Family Focus Practice, the CWDS/CRA Academies at San Diego State University, and UC Fresno, helping develop and deliver state-mandated trainings throughout California. Topics include child welfare, enhancing the skills of Parent Partners, and father engagement.
Prior to his current work, he was a Parent Partner with Riverside County’s Children Services Division for 8 years. He was one of the first Parent Partner’s hired in Riverside County and helped develop the program, helping families with support, encouragement, and navigating these systems, often leading to reunification. He is a birth father representative on the California Child Welfare Council, serving as co-chair of the newly created Task force for “Mandated supporting” and as a member of the Parent Partner Advisory Committee. In addition, he is a member of the Children’s Trust Fund Alliance’s Birth Parent National Network. He has also worked in collaboration with Casey Family Programs on strengthening families through the American Rescue Plan Act and the Parent Partner Learning Collaborative and provides consultation to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Roger is the recipient of the 2023 Casey Family Program’s Excellence for Children Award Birth Father of the Year.
