"Fatherhood is Leadership: Engaging Fathers In The Process"

Format

Individual Presentation

Presenters

Devon Bandison, VNSNYFollow

Location

Ballroom E

Strand #1

Social & Emotional Skills

Strand #2

Social & Emotional Skills

Relevance

Research shows that children with engaged fathers in their life perform better academically, emotionally and socially. Children with active fathers are more likely to attend college, less likely to be incarcerated, less likely to become pregnant as a teen, and develop better coping skills.

Brief Program Description

In this unique and dynamic presentation, participants will learn evidence based practiced to engage fathers in the academic career of their children.

Educators will learn effective ways to empower fathers in the process which in turn will produce better outcomes for their students.

The presenter will present his findings from developing programs for first time fathers in the Bronx to now working with fathers throughout the country.

Summary

In this presentation, participants will learn effective evidence based techniques to engage fathers in the academic careers of their children.

Drawing from experience in developing nationally recognized programs in NYC, participants will be able to leave with practical tools that they can implement immediately.

We will produce data from the Bronx Fatherhood Program as well as our work with the schools in NYC with outcomes for our at risk youth population.

Evidence

Fathers’ (higher) commitment to their child’s education and their involvement with the school are also associated with children’s better behaviour at school, including reduced risk of suspension or expulsion (for review, see Goldman, 2005). Children’s school behaviour is strongly linked with their educational attainment; and fathers’ influence on that behaviour is not only significant (Lloyd et al, 2003); Velleman, 2004; Jaffee et al, 1990) but may at times be more significant than mothers’: for instance, fathers’ harsh parenting is more strongly linked to children’s (especially boys’) aggression than is mothers’ harsh parenting (Chang et al, 2003).

Conversely, high father involvement (as measured by reading, disciplining, taking on trips) is associated with fewer child behaviour problems and lower criminality and substance misuse (Sarkadi et al, 2008; Flouri, 2005; Pleck & Masciadrelli, 2004) all of which tend to be played out in school and impact on achievement. Children also tend to do better and behave better when they have high levels of self-esteem, self-regulation, self-efficacy etc. The quality and quantity of fathers’ parenting impact strongly on these and other significant measures of adjustment (Pleck & Masciadrellii, 2004).

Biographical Sketch

Devon Bandison is considered one of the Nations Fatherhood Thought Leaders. He is Director of Children's Services at the Visiting Nurse Service of NY which offers an array of services to at risk youth and families in some of the most disenfranchised neighborhoods in NYC. One of the programs is The Bronx Fatherhood Program which serves first time fathers ages 15-35, helping them develop the necessary skills to become active and positive examples in their children's life. Devon continues to oversee these programs in addition to hosting weekly podcast called "Fatherhood is Leadership." His recent TED Talk titled "The Most Important Question A Father Can Ask Himself" has gained National Recognition.

Keyword Descriptors

Youth, school performance, fatherhood, acedeic achivement

Presentation Year

2016

Start Date

3-7-2016 3:00 PM

End Date

3-7-2016 4:15 PM

Recommended Citation

Bandison, Devon, ""Fatherhood is Leadership: Engaging Fathers In The Process"" (2016). National Youth Advocacy and Resilience Conference. 174.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/nyar_savannah/2016/2016/174