News from the FRPN: New FRPN Brief & Child Support Rule on Employment Programs

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A Note from the Director

The year begins with a major new policy for fathers in the child support program (noncustodial parent employment and training services, see more below) and forthcoming funding opportunities (Fatherhood FIRE grants) for fatherhood programs by the Office of Family Assistance of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. We look forward to exploring these and other initiatives, research, and policies in 2025. Best wishes for a healthy and happy 2025 to all our colleagues and friends!

Jessica Pearson, Ph.D., Director, Center for Policy Research (CPR) & FRPN

New Year, New Benefits: Policies Designed to Boost Fathers’ Economic Capacity and Family Wellbeing

Authored by CPR Research Associate Jacqueline Whearty, this brief discusses and presents state-by-state information on three economic policies that affect fathers with low incomes—state minimum wages, earned income tax credits, and child tax credits. It also describes state efforts to inform low-income parents about the need to file a tax return to obtain federal and state tax credits for which they may be eligible. This brief provides an update to information included in the FRPN State-by-State Report.

Download the brief.

Employment and Training Services in the Child Support Program

The Office of Child Support Services published a Final Rule in December 2024 allowing state and tribal child support agencies the option to use federal financial participation (FPP) to provide the following employment and training services to eligible noncustodial parents (NCPs): job search assistance; job readiness training; job development and job placement services; skills assessments; job retention services; work supports; and occupational training and other skills training directly related to employment. Child support agencies may provide services to NCPs directly or contract with a variety of service providers including fatherhood programs. For more information on work that CPR has done on designing, implementing and evaluating NCP employment programs: Applying For, Implementing, and Evaluating NCP Employment Programs – Center for Policy Research.

New Resources & Upcoming Conference

Krista White with the Urban Institute recently published a report on using financial and non-financial incentives to support fathers’ participation in programming. The report notes that when fatherhood programs integrate incentives into program activities and regularly assess their impact, fathers are more likely to engage with and benefit from programs.

The State of Fatherhood in Washington Study Report covers the findings of the State of Fatherhood in Washington Study. Conducted by the Washington Fatherhood Council and its partners during June 2023-2024, the study was a first-of-its kind effort to assess the current state of the Washington fatherhood landscape. Importantly, it also considered the national context of fatherhood policies, programs, and leadership as well as lessons learned from other states’ fatherhood commissions and initiatives.

Dr. Jay Fagan, co-founder of the FRPN, has published a new book! Fathers and Children Together is a book for fathers. It covers topics that fathers frequently ask about: how to connect with their children during each stage of development, how to grow and develop when they become fathers, advice for healthy and successful coparenting, and how to support a positive father-child relationship. It is a must read for all parents, practitioners, and students in disciplines such as psychology, human development and family studies, parent education, and social work. Find more information and order the book.

The 25th annual New England Fathering Conference, A Legacy of Connecting and Belonging, will take place in Mystic, CT March 19 – 21, 2025. This conference will bring together New England fathers and fatherhood service providers, supervisors, and advocates to reflect on 25 years of progress and the future of work in the field.

FRPN Director Jessica Pearson, PhD | Director, Center for Policy Research

© 2025 Fatherhood Research & Practice Network. All rights reserved
The Fatherhood Research and Practice Network was supported by grant #90PR0006 from the Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The contents are solely the responsibility of the Fatherhood Research and Practice Network and the Center for Policy Research and do not necessarily represent the official views of the Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation, the Administration for Children and Families or the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.