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Engaging Men & Dads at WIC: A Toolkit

Why engage men & dads at WIC?

Research shows that children and families do better when fathers are involved. Kids exhibit better school performance, increased self-esteem and improved relationships with peers, while parents feel less stress when they support each other and co-parent.

 

COMING SOON! Engaging Men & Dads at WIC Toolkit.

Click here for more new resources we like.

TESTED TOOLS

This online toolkit is based on a programmatic review of fatherhood involvement efforts in early childhood programs and is a collection of many tangible steps your WIC site can take to become more inclusive of men and Dads.

Research indicates that having a commitment to including men and Dads and creating a strategy to do so may be the most important thing and actually more important than what the strategy is.

There is not one ‘right’ way of implementing any of these practices. Rather, this toolkit will provide you with options and recommendations from previous program success.

DEFINING ‘DAD’

Many times in this toolkit the word Dad will be used but it should be noted that ‘Dad’ can include biological fathers as well as father figures such as grandfathers, uncles, mother’s partner, etc. Dads may be the single head of a household, married, cohabitating, or non-residential.

KEEP IN MIND

A focus on Dads should not stigmatize children. Be sensitive to those kids who do not have a Dad or significant male figure in their lives if you hold special events or recognition for Dads.

TOOLKIT SECTIONS

COMING SOON!

Engaging Men & Dads at WIC
(A CWA Learning Collaborative Webinar)

Research shows that children and families do better when fathers are involved. Kids exhibit better school performance, increased self-esteem and improved relationships with peers, while parents feel less stress when they support each other and co-parent. The Alameda Fathers Corps shared how they increase involvement of fathers in children’s lives by focusing on factors specific to the needs of men and the challenges they face in fulfilling their role as fathers.

Webinar 10/26/16
Presenters: Gary Thompson and Kevin Bremond, Alameda County Fathers Corps

Materials:

New Resources

WIC Breastfeeding Support (USDA’s resources to help Dad with breastfeeding support; 2021)

WIC Dads (Racine Kenosha Community Action; 2021)

How to Engage More Dads in Your WIC Program with Webinar (New York State Department of Health & CAI; 2018)

The Nurturing Father’s Podcast: Hosted by Mark and Corey Perlman, this podcast series discusses the joys and complexities of being a nurturing father. (2021)

Daddy Matters: 4-part web series with LaGuardia Cross (Zero to Three; June 2017)

Changing Systems & Practice to Improve Outcomes for Young Fathers & Their Families (Center for the Study of Social Policy; February 2017)

HEALTHY FAMILIES...STRONG COMMUNITIES...BRIGHT FUTURES!

CALIFORNIA WIC ASSOCIATION | 3960 INDUSTRIAL BLVD, SUITE 500 WEST SACRAMENTO, CA 95691 | PHONE: 916-572-0700