A2 - What About Dad?: Pursuing and Promoting Paternal, Sibling, and Relative Connections
Although the ancient proverb “it takes a village” has been widely accepted across cultures, it has only been codified in the child welfare laws of the U.S. fairly recently. Fathers especially play an important role, yet they often are overlooked or misunderstood in a child welfare case. This session strives to educate the audience on the importance of early father and relative identification and engagement, as well as associated barriers. We will also present successful strategies employed in Pennsylvania, with new data to support our claims that these measures find and support relative resources.
Presenters: Ilene L. Dubin and Charity Brallier, Family Design Resources, Inc., Harrisburg, PA