Fatherless Children Essay

Eunice Clark SOC – 213 Part 1 Milestone 2 Research and Approach

The social variables I have identified in fatherless children are poverty, crime, education and sexuality. Fatherlessness is the determinant of each of the variables because, according to

The National Fatherhood Initiative, Children in father-absent homes are almost four times more likely to be poor. In 2011, 12 percent of children in married-couple families were living in poverty, compared to 44 percent of children in mother-only families (Fathers). With crime, the same article states, “Youths in father-absent households still had significantly higher odds of incarceration than those in mother-father families and youths who never had a father in the household experienced the highest

The Department of Health and Human

Services has announced additional funding for local fatherhood programs. Originally created under the George W. Bush administration, HHS already provides “Promoting

Responsible Fatherhood” grants for community-based organizations that focus on workforce development, healthy relationship skills, parenting classes, financial/child support management and other family-affirming services to low-income and ex-offender fathers. The agency is increasing its support for the next round of grants, from $50 million a year over five years, to $75 million.

Unfortunately, I have not yet come across and programs that have not helped in ending fatherlessness. This is not to say that placing fathers in prisons for minor infractions does not escalate the socioeconomic downfall of a family and negatively impacts a child’s lifestyle and behaviors. Because fatherless homes have become commonplace internationally, and when discussing the problem, often times, the conversations begins with “Why are there so many dead beat dads?” With this, there is a litany of reasons why from the father doesn’t want the responsibility of being a father, the mother forced him to leave due to his lack of