New York City Department of Youth and Community Development
The New York City Department of Youth and Community Development (DYCD) Fatherhood Initiative helps low-income, non-custodial fathers achieve two main outcomes: increased engagement in their relationships with their child; and increased material and financial support to their child. DYCD Fatherhood programs are designed to address five core areas: (1) parenting skills, (2) effective co-parenting with the child’s guardian, (3) employment and education, (4) child support, and (5) visitation. PSA conducted focus groups with Fatherhood program participants, alumni, and staff; interviews with referring caseworkers; focus groups with men who reside in New York City Housing Authority facilities; and analyzed data collected at program enrollment and follow-up from cohorts of fathers from June 2012 to July 2015. This analysis explored the experiences of Fatherhood participants, perceptions of the effectiveness of the program, and to inform future refinements to the DYCD program model.