Fathers Belong in Child Welfare Prevention Before Birth

New federal guidance names expectant mothers and fathers and puts state implementation and public accountability in focus.

By Kenneth Braswell, CEO, Fathers Incorporated

When I read a federal announcement about families, I pay attention to who is actually named. The word “parents” should include both mothers and fathers. Yet a policy can use that word without answering whether anyone will contact Dad, assess his needs, or offer him help. Explicit language matters because it gives families and advocates something concrete to follow from Washington into the offices where services are delivered.

That is why the September 29 announcement from the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) deserves recognition. The agency, part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, says states may receive federal reimbursement for approved Title IV-E prevention services for expectant mothers and fathers. Through a change to the Child Welfare Policy Manual, ACF recognizes children before birth as candidates for this foster care prevention funding. The services include evidence-based mental health care, substance use services, and parenting support.

As the founder of Fathers Incorporated, I welcome the explicit inclusion of expectant fathers. A man’s preparation for fatherhood should begin before a child arrives. When he needs help addressing his own challenges, that preparation should include a real opportunity to receive it. Naming fathers in this announcement acknowledges that their well-being and readiness belong in the conversation about a child’s safety.

How Child Welfare Prevention Funding May Help Families

Consider what that could mean for a family. An expectant father struggling with substance use could have a pathway to appropriate treatment through a participating state’s approved program. A father who needs parenting support could begin learning before sleepless nights and new responsibilities arrive. Where an approved service fits his needs, and he meets the applicable eligibility requirements, he could participate as someone whose progress matters directly to his child. Those possibilities deserve attention from the Responsible Fatherhood community.

Mothers also have a stake in this. Supporting a father’s capacity to parent can help a family share responsibilities that too often fall unevenly. A mother should not have to become the sole organizer of another adult’s appointments, treatment, and preparation. Agencies should communicate directly with fathers when appropriate and safe, while giving mothers access to the support they need on their own terms. Including Dad should improve the family’s options without creating additional work or pressure for Mom.

Families also deserve an accurate explanation of what has changed. This announcement concerns federal reimbursement within an existing prevention program. It does not announce a cash payment to every expectant parent or guarantee an immediately available service in every community. ACF says states must act to amend their plans to cover this population. The release also says these prevention services are available regardless of income, but income independence does not eliminate other eligibility requirements.

Will Implementation of Child Welfare Prevention Actually Include Fathers?

The federal instructions governing state prevention programs help explain why local questions matter. States submit prevention plans for federal approval, and services need not be identical across counties or available throughout a state. A family therefore needs to know what its state has adopted, which providers are participating, and how a referral becomes an appointment. Federal permission creates an opportunity. State decisions and local capacity determine how families experience it.

There is a revealing detail in the announcement itself. Although it explicitly includes fathers, its discussion of state interest and next steps focuses on expectant mothers. Advocates should ask states to show exactly how fathers will be included in their implementation:

• Which services can an expectant father receive? 
• How will staff explain his eligibility? 
• What happens when the parents live separately? 

A state should answer those questions publicly instead of expecting families to interpret broad language on their own.

Policy has to reach agency culture. We will see whether that happens in an intake conversation, a referral form, and a supervisor’s review of a case. Staff should be prepared to recognize an expectant father as a person who may need services, not simply as a contact listed beside the mother’s name. Agencies should examine appointment hours, transportation barriers, and whether their outreach actually reaches men. A missed appointment deserves inquiry into what happened before it becomes an assumption about a father’s commitment.

Trust and Education in Implementing Child Welfare Policies

The language of foster care candidacy also needs careful explanation. Parents may understandably feel uneasy when an offer of help arrives with a phrase associated with separation. Agencies should explain why they’re using that designation, how they determine eligibility, what information they will collect, and who may receive it. Families should be told which services are voluntary, what reporting obligations apply, and how to raise a concern. Clear answers are essential to earning trust in an effort intended to prevent a crisis.

Safety must remain part of that conversation. Father inclusion should never be used to pressure a mother into contact that threatens her safety or to overlook conduct that puts a child at risk. Separate services and carefully assessed engagement may be appropriate. Fathers, in turn, have responsibilities to participate honestly, follow through, and address harmful behavior. A credible approach gives parents meaningful help while remaining clear about the safety and care a child will need.

The Responsible Fatherhood field has work to do now. Fatherhood programs should:

• Contact their state child welfare agency and ask whether it is preparing a plan amendment, whether fathers are explicitly included, and how community partners can contribute. 
• Help agencies understand the barriers men face and establish referral relationships with qualified providers. 
• Verify the funding and service requirements before telling families that their own classes or supports are covered. (Good intentions alone do not make a program reimbursable.)

Public education should reach both parents through places they already trust. Prenatal care providers, community health centers, home visiting programs, and family organizations can help distribute plain-language information. That information should explain who may qualify, where services are available, and whom to call. It should name mothers and fathers, include a path for asking questions privately, and be updated as state decisions change. 

Additional Steps in Father-Inclusive Child Welfare Prevention 

I would like states to report how many eligible mothers and fathers are offered services, how many begin, how long they wait, and why referrals do not result in care. Reporting should distinguish the two parents while protecting family privacy. It should also examine family well-being and child safety over time. A total labeled “parents served” cannot, by itself, tell us whether fathers were reached or whether one parent carried nearly all the participation.

ACF should help states use consistent definitions and make implementation progress understandable to the public. State agencies should identify who is responsible for correcting gaps, and oversight should include feedback from mothers and fathers themselves. Counting referrals is useful, but families can tell us whether the explanation made sense, whether the provider was accessible, and whether the help addressed the problem. Those experiences should inform how the policy develops.

The federal government deserves credit for naming expectant fathers in this opportunity. Now the work is to make that recognition dependable. When a mother or father asks for help preparing to care safely for a baby, there should be a clear answer about what is available and a practical route to receiving it. That is how an announcement becomes meaningful in a child’s life, before the family reaches a crisis and while there is still time to strengthen the care waiting at home.