Summary
Fathers and father figures are essential members of families and communities who play many roles, including raising children and fostering safety in the community. As part of the national project, Cradle to Community: A Focus on Community Safety and Healthy Child Development funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, this brief outlines challenges and barriers in the early childhood system and the criminal justice system, opportunities for systems changes, and examples of on the ground efforts to change systems, norms, and outcomes. To change conditions for fathers, their children, families, and communities, solutions are needed that recognize young fathers as assets, lift up and support the many ways they already support children, and expand efforts through the leadership of young fathers in the program and policy development process. This includes immediate opportunities within the early childhood system and the criminal justice system, as well as sectors such as media, employment, and housing, to embed a more intentional focus on supporting fathers.