Father Engagement Toolkit

Father engagement is a critical component of Child Welfare work in Colorado. Not only is engaging fathers required by rule, but research demonstrates that it can promote positive case and family outcomes, including an increased likelihood of reunification and a decreased length of stay in foster care. There has been a significant amount of work put into creating and sharing tips, tricks, and evidence-based practices for engaging fathers across Colorado and the US, which this website seeks to compile, organize, and make as accessible as possible. The tools, resources, and literature on this site aim to support caseworkers and their teams to successfully and effectively identify and engage fathers across child welfare cases. Remember to approach father engagement with the view that this relationship may be extremely important to the child.
A special thanks to Arapahoe, Denver, El Paso, Fremont, Larimer, and Morgan County for their dedication to engaging fathers and their willingness to share resources. Thanks as well to the ARCH Project for their excellent contributions to understanding and promoting father engagement in Colorado (Read more about the ARCH Project here). For more information about the ARCH Project and other research-practice partnerships, please visit https://www.chhs.colostate.edu/swrc/
If you have ideas as to how to improve this webpage or have resources to contribute, please email CDHS_father_engagement@state.co.us. CDHS is also collecting father engagement success stories that may be shared with others to help encourage further father engagement. If you have a success story that you would like to share, you can submit it anonymously at this link: Submit Success Stories
- Tools and Resources
- Studies and Memos
- Additional Resources
Resources have been compiled from a range of sources, including many Colorado counties, and organized by category, subcategory, and keyword. To search these resources, you can select keywords of interest, or filter by categories and subcategories. Please be aware that county developed resources may contain county-specific policy.
Image | Title | Categories | Tags | Link | hf:doc_categories | hf:doc_tags |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Finding Your Way: Guides for Fathers in Child Protection Cases | Agency Guides, Tools and Resources, Tools for Practice | Advocacy, Court resources, Father Engagement, New Resource | agency-guides tools-and-resources tools-for-practice fatherhood-engagement | advocacy court-resources father-engagement new-resource | ||
Father Friendly Check-up for Child Protective Courts | Agency Guides, Tools and Resources, Tools for Practice | Agency Perspectives, New Resource, Protocols & Assessments | agency-guides tools-and-resources tools-for-practice fatherhood-engagement | agency-perspectives new-resource protocols-assessments | ||
Engaging Fathers: Tools and Tips to Assess the Father-Friendliness of your Organization | Agency Guides, Tools and Resources, Tools for Practice | Agency Perspectives, New Resource, Protocols & Assessments | agency-guides tools-and-resources tools-for-practice fatherhood-engagement | agency-perspectives new-resource protocols-assessments | ||
Working with fathers who are culturally different — American Humane | Cultural Considerations for Fathers | Diversity & Equity, Father Engagement | cultural-considerations-for-fathers tools-for-practice tools-and-resources fatherhood-engagement | diversity-equity father-engagement | ||
What_s in it for… Engaging nonresident fathers – American Humane | Advocacy Materials | Advocacy, Father Engagement | advocacy-materials tools-and-resources fatherhood-engagement | advocacy father-engagement | ||
Tips for working with dad_ coparenting and conflict – American Humane | Cultural Considerations for Fathers, Domestic Violence & Parental Conflict, Nonresident Fathers | Caseworker Engagement, Coparenting, Domestic Violence, Father Engagement, Nonresident Fathers | cultural-considerations-for-fathers domestic-violence-parental-conflict nonresident-fathers tools-for-practice tools-and-resources fatherhood-engagement | caseworker-engagement coparenting domestic-violence father-engagement nonresident-fathers | ||
Tips for workers working with fathers who are angry – American Humane | Cultural Considerations for Fathers, Domestic Violence & Parental Conflict | Caseworker Engagement, Domestic Violence, Father Engagement | cultural-considerations-for-fathers domestic-violence-parental-conflict tools-for-practice tools-and-resources fatherhood-engagement | caseworker-engagement domestic-violence father-engagement | ||
Tips for transforming conflict into partnership – American Humane | Agency Guides, Miscellaneous/Overarching | Cultural Change, Father Engagement | agency-guides miscellaneous-overarching tools-for-practice tools-and-resources fatherhood-engagement | cultural-change father-engagement | ||
The How of Fatherhood Engagement – Denver | Identifying & Contacting Fathers/Paternal Relatives | Father Engagement | identifying-contacting-fathers-paternal-relatives tools-for-practice tools-and-resources fatherhood-engagement | father-engagement | ||
The Family Safety Circles Booklet | Identifying & Contacting Fathers/Paternal Relatives | Father identification, Templates | identifying-contacting-fathers-paternal-relatives tools-for-practice tools-and-resources fatherhood-engagement | father-identification templates | ||
Supervision Note – Denver | Agency Guides, Templates for Caseworkers & Supervisors | Protocols & Assessments | agency-guides templates-for-caseworkers-supervisors tools-for-practice tools-and-resources fatherhood-engagement | protocols-assessments | ||
Strategies for engaging non-resident fathers – American Humane | Nonresident Fathers | Nonresident Fathers | nonresident-fathers tools-for-practice tools-and-resources fatherhood-engagement | nonresident-fathers | ||
Sample family finding letter – CASA PPR | Identifying & Contacting Fathers/Paternal Relatives, Templates for Caseworkers & Supervisors | Father Engagement, Father identification, paternal relatives, Templates | identifying-contacting-fathers-paternal-relatives templates-for-caseworkers-supervisors tools-for-practice tools-and-resources fatherhood-engagement | father-engagement father-identification paternal-relatives templates | ||
Questions for finding natural connections | Identifying & Contacting Fathers/Paternal Relatives | Father Engagement, Father identification, paternal relatives, Templates | identifying-contacting-fathers-paternal-relatives tools-for-practice tools-and-resources fatherhood-engagement | father-engagement father-identification paternal-relatives templates | ||
Quality Contact and Engagement with Parent – Parent Contact Template | Agency Guides, Templates for Caseworkers & Supervisors | Father identification, Templates | agency-guides templates-for-caseworkers-supervisors tools-for-practice tools-and-resources fatherhood-engagement | father-identification templates | ||
Parent Contact Template – CDHS | Agency Guides, Templates for Caseworkers & Supervisors | Father identification, Templates | agency-guides templates-for-caseworkers-supervisors tools-for-practice tools-and-resources fatherhood-engagement | father-identification templates | ||
Male Help-Seeking Behaviors – American Humane | Cultural Considerations for Fathers | Diversity & Equity, Father Engagement | cultural-considerations-for-fathers tools-for-practice tools-and-resources fatherhood-engagement | diversity-equity father-engagement | ||
Locate Absent Parent Form – El Paso | Agency Guides, Identifying & Contacting Fathers/Paternal Relatives, Templates for Caseworkers & Supervisors | Father identification, Nonresident Fathers, Templates | agency-guides identifying-contacting-fathers-paternal-relatives templates-for-caseworkers-supervisors tools-for-practice tools-and-resources fatherhood-engagement | father-identification nonresident-fathers templates | ||
Locate Absent Parent- Arapahoe | Agency Guides, Identifying & Contacting Fathers/Paternal Relatives, Templates for Caseworkers & Supervisors | Father identification, Nonresident Fathers, Templates | agency-guides identifying-contacting-fathers-paternal-relatives templates-for-caseworkers-supervisors tools-for-practice tools-and-resources fatherhood-engagement | father-identification nonresident-fathers templates | ||
Keep Toss Add | Templates for Caseworkers & Supervisors | Father Engagement | templates-for-caseworkers-supervisors tools-for-practice tools-and-resources fatherhood-engagement | father-engagement | ||
Inmate Letter Denver | Templates for Caseworkers & Supervisors, Working with Incarcerated Fathers | Incarceration, Templates | templates-for-caseworkers-supervisors working-with-incarcerated-fathers tools-for-practice tools-and-resources fatherhood-engagement | incarceration templates | ||
High Level CW Case Flow – Larimer | Training & Learning Opportunities | Agency Perspectives | training-learning-opportunities tools-and-resources fatherhood-engagement | agency-perspectives | ||
Genogram Outline – Arapahoe | Identifying & Contacting Fathers/Paternal Relatives | Father identification, Templates | identifying-contacting-fathers-paternal-relatives tools-for-practice tools-and-resources fatherhood-engagement | father-identification templates | ||
Genogram Guide | Identifying & Contacting Fathers/Paternal Relatives | Father identification, Templates | identifying-contacting-fathers-paternal-relatives tools-for-practice tools-and-resources fatherhood-engagement | father-identification templates | ||
Framework Father Engagement | Templates for Caseworkers & Supervisors | Father Engagement | templates-for-caseworkers-supervisors tools-for-practice tools-and-resources fatherhood-engagement | father-engagement | ||
Father Engagement Tool 2021 El Paso | Agency Guides, Miscellaneous/Overarching, Templates for Caseworkers & Supervisors | Protocols & Assessments | agency-guides miscellaneous-overarching templates-for-caseworkers-supervisors tools-for-practice tools-and-resources fatherhood-engagement | protocols-assessments | ||
Father Engagement Review Tool 2021 El Paso | Agency Guides, Miscellaneous/Overarching, Templates for Caseworkers & Supervisors | Protocols & Assessments | agency-guides miscellaneous-overarching templates-for-caseworkers-supervisors tools-for-practice tools-and-resources fatherhood-engagement | protocols-assessments | ||
Father engagement review tool 12.18.20 – CDHS | Agency Guides, Miscellaneous/Overarching, Templates for Caseworkers & Supervisors | Protocols & Assessments | agency-guides miscellaneous-overarching templates-for-caseworkers-supervisors tools-for-practice tools-and-resources fatherhood-engagement | protocols-assessments | ||
Father engagement paternal relatives ARCH presentation | Research Summaries, Training & Learning Opportunities | Advocacy, Father Involvement in Child Welfare, paternal relatives, Research | research-summaries training-learning-opportunities tools-and-resources fatherhood-engagement | advocacy father-involvement-in-child-welfare paternal-relatives research | ||
Father engagement fathers_ perspectives ARCH presentation | Research Summaries, Training & Learning Opportunities | Advocacy, Father Involvement in Child Welfare, Research | research-summaries training-learning-opportunities tools-and-resources fatherhood-engagement | advocacy father-involvement-in-child-welfare research | ||
Father engagement Caseworker Perspectives ARCH presentation | Research Summaries, Training & Learning Opportunities | Advocacy, Agency Perspectives, Research | research-summaries training-learning-opportunities tools-and-resources fatherhood-engagement | advocacy agency-perspectives research | ||
Father engagement barrier outline | Miscellaneous/Overarching, Templates for Caseworkers & Supervisors | Research | miscellaneous-overarching templates-for-caseworkers-supervisors tools-for-practice tools-and-resources fatherhood-engagement | research | ||
Family Safety Circles – how to | Identifying & Contacting Fathers/Paternal Relatives | Templates | identifying-contacting-fathers-paternal-relatives tools-for-practice tools-and-resources fatherhood-engagement | templates | ||
Family Search Engagement and Dilligent Search Protocol – El Paso | Agency Guides, Identifying & Contacting Fathers/Paternal Relatives | Father identification, Protocols & Assessments | agency-guides identifying-contacting-fathers-paternal-relatives tools-for-practice tools-and-resources fatherhood-engagement | father-identification protocols-assessments | ||
Engaging nonresident fathers in child welfare cases_ a guide for court appointed special advocates | Resources for Court Stakeholders | Court resources, Nonresident Fathers | resources-for-court-stakeholders tools-for-practice tools-and-resources fatherhood-engagement | court-resources nonresident-fathers | ||
Engaging noncustodial fathers in child welfare cases_ a guide for children_s attorneys and lawyer guardians | Resources for Court Stakeholders | Court resources, Father Engagement, Nonresident Fathers | resources-for-court-stakeholders tools-for-practice tools-and-resources fatherhood-engagement | court-resources father-engagement nonresident-fathers | ||
Engaging Incarcerated Fathers overview | Working with Incarcerated Fathers | Father Engagement, Incarceration | working-with-incarcerated-fathers tools-for-practice tools-and-resources fatherhood-engagement | father-engagement incarceration | ||
Efforts to locate parent(s) form – Denver | Agency Guides, Identifying & Contacting Fathers/Paternal Relatives, Templates for Caseworkers & Supervisors | Father identification, Templates | agency-guides identifying-contacting-fathers-paternal-relatives templates-for-caseworkers-supervisors tools-for-practice tools-and-resources fatherhood-engagement | father-identification templates | ||
Dependency and Neglect Bench Card for Caseworker Involvement – El Paso | Agency Guides, Resources for Court Stakeholders | Protocols & Assessments | agency-guides resources-for-court-stakeholders tools-for-practice tools-and-resources fatherhood-engagement | protocols-assessments | ||
Developing the relationship _ engaging non-resident fathers – American Humane | Agency Guides, Miscellaneous/Overarching, Nonresident Fathers | Father Engagement, Father-Child Relationship | agency-guides miscellaneous-overarching nonresident-fathers tools-for-practice tools-and-resources fatherhood-engagement | father-engagement father-child-relationship | ||
County Protocol for Absent Parent Search – Morgan | Agency Guides, Identifying & Contacting Fathers/Paternal Relatives, Nonresident Fathers | Father identification, Protocols & Assessments | agency-guides identifying-contacting-fathers-paternal-relatives nonresident-fathers tools-for-practice tools-and-resources fatherhood-engagement | father-identification protocols-assessments | ||
Child Welfare practice with families affected by parental incarceration – Children_s Bureau | Miscellaneous/Overarching, Templates for Caseworkers & Supervisors, Working with Incarcerated Fathers | Father Engagement, Incarceration | miscellaneous-overarching templates-for-caseworkers-supervisors working-with-incarcerated-fathers tools-for-practice tools-and-resources fatherhood-engagement | father-engagement incarceration | ||
Client Contact Best Practices – Larimer | Agency Guides | Father identification, Templates | agency-guides tools-for-practice tools-and-resources fatherhood-engagement | father-identification templates | ||
Benefits and barriers of engaging non-resident fathers – American Humane | Nonresident Fathers | Nonresident Fathers | nonresident-fathers tools-for-practice tools-and-resources fatherhood-engagement | nonresident-fathers | ||
Be Bold for the Needs of Dads Infographic – CSU | Advocacy Materials | Advocacy, Father-Child Relationship, Research | advocacy-materials tools-and-resources fatherhood-engagement | advocacy father-child-relationship research | ||
Assessment Closure Summary – Denver | Templates for Caseworkers & Supervisors | Protocols & Assessments | templates-for-caseworkers-supervisors tools-for-practice tools-and-resources fatherhood-engagement | protocols-assessments | ||
Are You My Client – Larimer | Trails Resources & Guides | trails | trails-resources-guides tools-for-practice tools-and-resources fatherhood-engagement | trails | ||
All About Dads Infographic – CSU | Advocacy Materials | Advocacy, Father-Child Relationship, Research | advocacy-materials tools-and-resources fatherhood-engagement | advocacy father-child-relationship research | ||
Absent Parent Search Guidance – Larimer | Agency Guides, Identifying & Contacting Fathers/Paternal Relatives | agency-guides identifying-contacting-fathers-paternal-relatives tools-for-practice tools-and-resources fatherhood-engagement | ||||
5280-4-Dads Newsletter | Advocacy Materials | Advocacy | advocacy-materials tools-and-resources fatherhood-engagement | advocacy | ||
90 day review template – CDHS | Templates for Caseworkers & Supervisors | Protocols & Assessments | templates-for-caseworkers-supervisors tools-for-practice tools-and-resources fatherhood-engagement | protocols-assessments | ||
90 day review template – Denver | Templates for Caseworkers & Supervisors | Protocols & Assessments | templates-for-caseworkers-supervisors tools-for-practice tools-and-resources fatherhood-engagement | protocols-assessments | ||
90 day review key – El Paso | Templates for Caseworkers & Supervisors | Protocols & Assessments | templates-for-caseworkers-supervisors tools-for-practice tools-and-resources fatherhood-engagement | protocols-assessments | ||
90 day review outline – Fremont | Templates for Caseworkers & Supervisors | Protocols & Assessments | templates-for-caseworkers-supervisors tools-for-practice tools-and-resources fatherhood-engagement | protocols-assessments | ||
90 day review court report template – Arapahoe | Templates for Caseworkers & Supervisors | Protocols & Assessments | templates-for-caseworkers-supervisors tools-for-practice tools-and-resources fatherhood-engagement | protocols-assessments | ||
Documentation of efforts to locate absent parent – Morgan | Agency Guides, Identifying & Contacting Fathers/Paternal Relatives, Templates for Caseworkers & Supervisors | Father identification, Templates | agency-guides identifying-contacting-fathers-paternal-relatives templates-for-caseworkers-supervisors tools-for-practice tools-and-resources fatherhood-engagement | father-identification templates |
Literature has been compiled from a range of academic sources and organized by category and keyword. To search these resources, you can select keywords of interest, or filter by categories.
- National responsible fatherhood clearinghouse: https://www.fatherhood.gov/
- National family preservation network: https://www.nfpn.org/resources/
- Colorado fatherhood initiative: https://www.cofamilycenters.org/fatherhood-initiative/
- Nurturing fathers: https://nurturingfathers.com/
- Caring dads: https://caringdads.org/
- Child Welfare Information Gateway: https://www.childwelfare.gov/topics/famcentered/engaging/fathers/
- Title IV-E prevention clearinghouse: https://preventionservices.abtsites.com/
- Casey family programs: https://www.casey.org/engaging-fathers-prevention/