National Fatherhood Initiative's 24/7 Dad
24/7 Dad is a voluntary, comprehensive fatherhood program designed to help men improve their parenting skills and fathering knowledge. The program focuses on building self-awareness, self-caring, and parenting, fathering, and relationship skills through 12 weekly, two-hour group or individual sessions1.
What could this strategy improve?
Expected Benefits
Our evidence rating is based on the likelihood of achieving these outcomes:
Improved parenting
Potential Benefits
Our evidence rating is not based on these outcomes, but these benefits may also be possible:
Improved family functioning
What does the research say about effectiveness? This strategy is rated insufficient evidence.
There is insufficient evidence to determine whether 24/7 Dad improves parenting skills. Available evidence suggests that program participation may improve knowledge about and attitudes towards parenting for a variety of populations2, 3, 4, including those under correctional supervision5. Program participation may also increase fathers’ involvement with their children and improve the quality of the parent-child relationship2. Additional evidence is needed to confirm effects.
How could this strategy impact health disparities? This strategy is rated no impact on disparities likely.
Implementation Resources
NFI-Fathersource - National Fatherhood Initiative (NFI). Fathersource.
Footnotes
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1 NFI - National Fatherhood Initiative.
2 Lewin-Bizan 2015 - Lewin-Bizan S. 24/7 Dad Program in Hawaii: Sample, design, and preliminary results. National Fatherhood Initiative; 2015.
3 Hyra 2011 - Hyra A. Outcome evaluation of Puerto Rican Family Institute’s fatherhood involvement grant activities. Washington, DC: Hyra Consulting; 2011.
4 Evans-Rhodes 2010 - Evans-Rhodes D. Dads matters performance measure 2009-2010: Preliminary results for confidence and knowledge. Germantown: National Fatherhood Initiative; 2010.
5 da Rosa 2012 - da Rosa GD, Melby JN. Report on prisoner reentry project: Analysis of 24/7 Dad pre- and post-test results. Ames: Iowa State University; 2012.
Related What Works for Health Strategies
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countyhealthrankings.org/take-action-to-improve-health/what-works-for-health/strategies/national-fatherhood-initiatives-247-dad
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countyhealthrankings.org/whatworks