Children do better when their father is in their lives

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

Involving fathers in the lives of their children is the primary goal of “Preparing Men for the ‘Now and the Future,’” a workshop for men Monday sponsored by the Youngstown Metropolitan Housing Authority, the Community Initiative to Reduce Violence and CDI Head Start.

The event, from 5 to 8 p.m. at Arlington Heights Recreation Center, 801 Park Ave., will offer fathers information on how to engage with their families and children, said Guy Burney, coordinator of the Youngstown CIRV, a partnership of law enforcement, social service agencies, and community members that seeks to reduce gun violence in the city.

“This is a community effort. We have to, at some point, change the course of young men with regard to their families and children,” said Burney, chairman of Monday’s event.

The overall goal is to promote the strengthening and empowerment of families, as well as greater involvement by fathers in the lives of their children and families, leading to positive outcomes on health, development and well-being, he said.

There are 24 million children in the United States without fathers in the families: One in three overall and two in three in African-American homes, according to the Ohio Commission on Fatherhood.

“The father’s absence is a critical piece,” Burney said.

Children without fathers in the home are five times more likely to live in poverty, three times more likely to fail in school, two times more likely to develop emotional/behavioral problems, abuse drugs, be involved in crime, and be abused and neglected, Burney said.

Where fathers are involved, it is the converse, he said.

In Ohio, Gov. John Kasich declared June to be “Responsible Fatherhood Month.”

Burney said the event also is the kickoff of what is envisioned as a ongoing process to generate a fatherhood initiative involving many agencies.