Baltimore City Head Start (BCHS) + Father Engagement (FE)

In January 2022, the Ballmer Group awarded the Center for Urban Families (CFUF) a planning grant to develop a model for promoting active fatherhood engagement in Baltimore City Head Start (BCHS) programs, with the goal of replication in Head Start programs nationwide, and eventually the broader field of early-childhood and family support agencies and organizations. After a successful planning period, we are prepared to implement the model with BCHS to serve as a place-based proof of concept, culminating in an evidence-based replication plan and early dissemination throughout the field.

Ongoing discussions with leadership at BCHS emphasized a strong desire to increase fatherhood engagement, particularly in light of the recent mandate issued by the Office of Head Start to incorporate fatherhood programming more centrally in Head Start services. Head Start has historically struggled to meaningfully engage fathers, a reality exasperated during the past 2 years because of the COVID pandemic. BCHS has reported that even fewer fathers/father figures have participated in Head Start activities during this period, including the Family Assessment and Family Goal Setting process and parent education workshops.

With the support of the Ballmer Group, CFUF was able to bring together a highly dedicated team of experienced individuals from CFUF, MEF Associates, and BCHS. From the beginning, the team focused on building a strong relationship by co-designing the project together. This facilitated buy-in from BCHS leadership and BCHS staff and families, which was essential to gathering accurate data to identify and address the major barriers to father engagement. This relationship building has laid a solid foundation for moving forward with implementation, with BCHS staff eager to get started.

Here we share findings and recommendations from the planning and implementation period. This work leverages extensive experience of CFUF in engaging fathers, the dedicated staff of BCHS, and the research and evaluation expertise of MEF associate’s in supporting the design, implementation, and evaluation of innovative models in both Head Start and fatherhood settings.

Book: If Your Dad Takes You to School

If Your Dad Takes You to School is a play on Numeroff’s famous children’s book, If you Give a Mouse a Cookie. Our book features Baltimore City Head Start fathers and children on their way to school.

Daily school attendance has not rebounded since the pandemic. Pre-K children experience chronic attendance (missing more than 10 school days) and experience gaps in learning that are measured on third grade national assessments. Research shows that the reading gap that exists at the end of third was evident in kindergarten. Our aim is to close the reading gap by increasing reading materials in the home and improving daily attendance rates for the youngest learners. If Your Dad Takes you to School amplifies the importance of dad’s role in school daily school attendance.

Policy Brief: Unlocking the Power of Fathers: Fatherhood as a Protective Factor for Promoting School Readiness

Policy Brief: Father Friendly Checklist: Integrating Fathers into Head Start

Policy Brief: The Head Start Program: A Support System for Young Fathers