Fatherhood Summit A Sucess

ULM has been providing fatherhood programs since 2006 and recently contracted with Montgomery County Department of Job and Family Services to start the Fatherhood Initiative there. In Springfield the ministry has been serving fathers through such programs as Nurturing Fathers for Life (NFL), Fatherhood Resource Center, Parent Support Clinic and others.

The Summit, which was met with much enthusiasm of those in attendance, was to allow the organizations and practitioners to discuss ways to better serve fathers and to look at ways to mobilize their communities.

Tracy Robinson, executive director of the Ohio Commission on Fatherhood, emphasized the importance of fathers taking a few simple steps to make them more effective parents. He suggested things like spending more time with their child, making an emotional and financial investment in the family, tell the child they love them, and respect the child’s mother.

To those who joined the OCF’s new campaign, Robinson gave a lapel button that said they were a “Committed Father” and a commitment card that read, “As a Responsible Father, I COMMIT to: (1) Spend time with my child; (2) Invest in my child; (3) Love my child; and (4) Respect the mother of my child. Every day, I will be a good dad.”

A Dayton father of three who attended the Summit said he had done those things but was still facing resistance from the mother of one of his children. Ian Jackson, a participant in ULM’s Montgomery County program said he has done everything he is supposed to do but the mother refuses to let him spend quality time with his daughter. He said he pays child support and does court ordered visitation, but the mother still refuses to cooperate.

“When I try to talk with my daughter or visit the mother calls the police,” he said. “No matter what I try to do it, seems to be wrong.” He said the mother constantly takes him to court for one thing or another. The latest is she’s trying to stop his visitation.

Jackson learned during the Summit that there is proposed legislation in the state entitled the “Equal Parenting Law.” The bill proposes that both parents, whether married or not, would have equal rights concerning the child. Jackson was invited to serve on a panel by Rev. Williams.

James McDonald, president of OPNFF, talked about the importance of organizations and practitioners, national, state and local, adopting a similar model for fathers.

He said the new vision statement for OPNFF is “Practitioners and organizations throughout Ohio will intentionally and strategically engage fathers in their work with families because of the collaborative leadership of OPNFF”. According to the organization, fathers matter. Children do better in schools and in our neighborhoods when dad is involved.