Family Network of East Texas

Helping Fathers Value their Children

Every year almost one million children in the United States are victims of child maltreatment; research indicates that a little more than a third of maltreatment cases the perpetrator is the father.

Despite the prevalence of father-perpetrated maltreatment and associated negative impact on child development, and the potential benefits of healthy father-child relationships, intervention and prevention programs addressing maltreatment are almost exclusively focused on children's mothers.

The Caring Dads: Helping Fathers Value their Children program for at-risk fathers fills this important gap.

Family Network of East Texas a multi-faceted agency, providing cooperative and comprehensive social services to at-risk families and youth will now offer Caring Dads a specialized program for men who have used abusive behaviors with their families in the past and who now want to improve their relationships.

Caring Dads will help fathers to improve their relationship with their children and to develop parenting skills. A child-centered approach to fathering is encouraged as fathers are helped:

• To recognize and prioritize their children’s needs when possible;
• To understand to impact of their behavior on their kids and partner;
• To take responsibility for their use of abusive behavior, &
• To engage with their children in a more empathetic and nurturing way.

• Many fathers are likely to benefit from participation in this program, but in particular we are seeking men whose relationship with their children is problematic.

This program accepts referrals from Child Protective Services, Probation and Parole, and the Court. Some fathers will be required to attend this program by one of these organizations, others may self -refer. 

Family Network of East Texas is currently seeking accreditation from the Texas Department of Criminal Justice-Community Justice Assistance Division (TDCJ-CJAD) for the Caring Dads program as a Battering Intervention and Prevention Program (BIPP). During the 80th Texas Legislative Session, Senate Bill 44 was passed (Texas Code of Criminal Procedure, Article 42.141). This Code relates to the provision of intervention or counseling services for persons who have committed family violence and to a process for accrediting those services.

Caring Dads groups run for 2 hours, one night a week, for 17-weeks with approximately 12 men are in each group (men's children and partners do not attend). Groups are co-facilitated by a male and female co-facilitator with knowledge and experience in intervention with men, child protection, child development, and woman's advocacy.
Caring Dads classes will begin Thursday,November 3^th, 2011, from 5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. at Family Network of East Texas located at 2912 E. Main Street.  Registration fee is $20.00 per class.

For further information or to register, please contact instructors Boris S. or Thresa A. Caldwell at (936)560-4365 or (936) 560-6397.