Fathers' Support Center New Pathways to Responsible Fatherhood Family Formation Program (NPFF) Impact Evaluation Plan
| Status: | Recruiting |
|---|---|
| Healthy: | No |
| Age Range: | 16 - Any |
| Updated: | 1/31/2018 |
| Start Date: | July 1, 2016 |
| End Date: | September 30, 2020 |
| Contact: | Sarah Bobmeyer, MSW |
| Email: | sbobmeyer@wustl.edu |
| Phone: | 314-935-3723 |
New Pathways to Responsible Fatherhood Family Formation Program
The Fathers' Support Center, in partnership with the Brown School Evaluation Center at
Washington University in St. Louis, seeks to evaluate the impact of their New Pathways to
Responsible Fatherhood Family Formation Program (NPFF). The investigators are most interested
in quantifying the added benefit of parenting, father-child engagement, and father well-being
curriculum compared to course content containing 80 hour economic stability material only.
The impact evaluation will answer four key outcome and implementation specific questions
using a mixed methods approach. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of two groups
(full program or 80 hour economic stability curriculum only) and tracked for the duration of
the program. The impact evaluation tools include a set of validated instruments and will be
administered to participants at baseline and again at three and twelve months after
completion of the program. Performance measurement data will also be included in our
analysis. Investigators hypothesize that participation in the full program will have a
greater effect on key outcomes than the economic stability curriculum, a similar number of
families will be reached by each condition, and that there will be minimal variability in
retention rates across groups.
Washington University in St. Louis, seeks to evaluate the impact of their New Pathways to
Responsible Fatherhood Family Formation Program (NPFF). The investigators are most interested
in quantifying the added benefit of parenting, father-child engagement, and father well-being
curriculum compared to course content containing 80 hour economic stability material only.
The impact evaluation will answer four key outcome and implementation specific questions
using a mixed methods approach. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of two groups
(full program or 80 hour economic stability curriculum only) and tracked for the duration of
the program. The impact evaluation tools include a set of validated instruments and will be
administered to participants at baseline and again at three and twelve months after
completion of the program. Performance measurement data will also be included in our
analysis. Investigators hypothesize that participation in the full program will have a
greater effect on key outcomes than the economic stability curriculum, a similar number of
families will be reached by each condition, and that there will be minimal variability in
retention rates across groups.
Research Questions
The Brown School Evaluation Center at Washington University in St. Louis will conduct the
local impact evaluation. The local evaluation seeks to answer four primary questions
pertaining to the implementation and outcomes of the Family Formation Program (FFP) (an
integrated approach of responsible parenting, economic stability and mobility, and healthy
relationships):
Outcome Q1: Does the participation of fathers in the comprehensive Family Formation Program
have greater effect on family functioning, father and child outcomes, and father economic
stability and mobility compared to fathers receiving the 80 hour economic stability services
only (i.e., job readiness and employment skills)?
Implementation Q2: How many families were reached by each of the conditions and was there
variability in retention rates of fathers across conditions?
Implementation Q3: Did fathers in the treatment and comparison conditions find the
intervention to be acceptable and appropriate?
Implementation Q4: What barriers and benefits exist to successful implementation of father
focused family support programs?
Background Fatherhood programs originally had a narrow focus on financial stability and
support, but have recently evolved to also emphasize healthy relationships, parenting skills,
and father involvement. Despite significant state and federal funding for fatherhood
programs, few have undergone rigorous evaluation to examine their effectiveness. This
evaluation will determine the added benefit of content on parenting, father-child engagement,
and father well-being over and above content on economic stability and mobility, in relation
to family functioning, child well-being, and economic stability. This will also further build
the evidence supporting one particular comprehensive intervention, FFP, as a means to improve
outcomes for children and families through intervening with fathers.
Relation to program logic model The primary research question of this impact evaluation will
examine the effect of the FFP on short- and long-term outcomes as described in the FFP logic
model
Short-term outcomes assessed by the impact evaluation will include:
1. improved parenting and co-parenting skills;
2. increased father-child engagement;
3. increased financial responsibility of fathers; and
4. progress towards greater economic stability.
The impact evaluation will also examine the FFP long-term outcomes of improved family
functioning (through changes in father and child well-being; co-parenting relationship
quality, and the father-child relationship) and increased economic stability and mobility.
Hypothesis:
Investigators believe that the FFP will have a greater effect on family functioning, father
and child outcomes, and father economic stability compared to fathers in the comparison group
because members of the treatment group will be receiving a more comprehensive range of
services. Investigators anticipate that fathers will equally participate in both programs
because both will provide meaningful information and opportunities to build their skill sets.
The Brown School Evaluation Center at Washington University in St. Louis will conduct the
local impact evaluation. The local evaluation seeks to answer four primary questions
pertaining to the implementation and outcomes of the Family Formation Program (FFP) (an
integrated approach of responsible parenting, economic stability and mobility, and healthy
relationships):
Outcome Q1: Does the participation of fathers in the comprehensive Family Formation Program
have greater effect on family functioning, father and child outcomes, and father economic
stability and mobility compared to fathers receiving the 80 hour economic stability services
only (i.e., job readiness and employment skills)?
Implementation Q2: How many families were reached by each of the conditions and was there
variability in retention rates of fathers across conditions?
Implementation Q3: Did fathers in the treatment and comparison conditions find the
intervention to be acceptable and appropriate?
Implementation Q4: What barriers and benefits exist to successful implementation of father
focused family support programs?
Background Fatherhood programs originally had a narrow focus on financial stability and
support, but have recently evolved to also emphasize healthy relationships, parenting skills,
and father involvement. Despite significant state and federal funding for fatherhood
programs, few have undergone rigorous evaluation to examine their effectiveness. This
evaluation will determine the added benefit of content on parenting, father-child engagement,
and father well-being over and above content on economic stability and mobility, in relation
to family functioning, child well-being, and economic stability. This will also further build
the evidence supporting one particular comprehensive intervention, FFP, as a means to improve
outcomes for children and families through intervening with fathers.
Relation to program logic model The primary research question of this impact evaluation will
examine the effect of the FFP on short- and long-term outcomes as described in the FFP logic
model
Short-term outcomes assessed by the impact evaluation will include:
1. improved parenting and co-parenting skills;
2. increased father-child engagement;
3. increased financial responsibility of fathers; and
4. progress towards greater economic stability.
The impact evaluation will also examine the FFP long-term outcomes of improved family
functioning (through changes in father and child well-being; co-parenting relationship
quality, and the father-child relationship) and increased economic stability and mobility.
Hypothesis:
Investigators believe that the FFP will have a greater effect on family functioning, father
and child outcomes, and father economic stability compared to fathers in the comparison group
because members of the treatment group will be receiving a more comprehensive range of
services. Investigators anticipate that fathers will equally participate in both programs
because both will provide meaningful information and opportunities to build their skill sets.
Inclusion Criteria:
- being a father (biological or step) with at least one child 16 years old or younger
Exclusion Criteria:
- no presence of a restraining order from mother or child
- is not currently incarcerated
- is not homeless
We found this trial at
1
site
Saint Louis, Missouri 63115
Principal Investigator: Sarah Bobmyer, MSW
Phone: 314-333-4170
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