Early Head Start (EHS) staff engage pregnant mothers and expectant families as they prepare for their new baby. Connecting families to comprehensive prenatal care, such as nutrition education, oral health care, and mental health supports, is all part of the process. This includes engaging fathers from the beginning. Understanding what to expect during pregnancy and after the birth can help young families feel better prepared to face parenthood.
Staff can use this module to learn how to work alongside and engage fathers in early care and education programs.
Explore these resources to learn ways to enhance your program’s father engagement efforts.
Explore ways to engage fathers in children's development. These quick strategies can enhance father engagement efforts in early childhood programs.
Display these wall posters to celebrate fathers’ passion for their children and the many things they do for their children every day.
Explore the strategies that Early Education Services in Brattleboro, VT uses to engage fathers in their children's learning and development. In this Head Start and Early Head Start program, dedicated fathers learn from one another and make connections. They also learn to build a community that helps them fulfill their role as one of the most important people in their children's lives.
Explore this set of resources designed to support Latino fathers as early literacy models for their children. The resources outline creating father-friendly environments, building community supports, sharing stories, and supporting early literacy for young children. Many of the resources and activities are in English and Spanish.
This three-part webinar series focuses on effective and intentional father engagement. Learn how engaging fathers promotes children’s learning and development and strengthens the parent-child relationship.
Discover the important role fathers play in early childhood programs, as well as challenges they face with involvement and ways to overcome them.
This resource was developed under an Innovation and Improvement Project grant from the Office of Head Start with the goal to encourage and support positive relationships of families with infants, toddlers, and preschool-aged children of incarcerated fathers or fathers on probation or parole. Head Start programs may find this resource useful.