About the Council
The Washington Fatherhood Council is a collaborative group focused on reducing poverty and inequality through increased fatherhood access and belonging. The council provides support to improve state services, connects dads to resources, and makes sure that fathers with lived experience are part of everything they do.
The council was created in 2018 as the direct result of the two-day 2018 Washington State Fatherhood Summit. The council is made up of a diverse group of fathers, organizations, academics, and advocates. They work collaboratively to raise awareness around the unique role of fathers and create foster a father-inclusive culture in communities, agencies, and policies.
Because we know that:
- Children and families do better when fathers are involved in their children’s lives.
- Fathers play a unique and important role in helping children grow.
- Fathers should have support and resources to be the dads they want to be.
Council Goals
- Increase awareness of the essential role father’s play in child and family well-being.
- Promote father-friendly policies and practices to increase child and family well-being.
- Promote equitable resources for fathers and families.
Anyone can make a difference for fathers.
Individuals can:
- Learn
- Learn about the benefits of having a father in a child's life and the stigmas they face.
- Learn to tell your story with a purpose.
- Attend Washington Fatherhood Council Events.
- Share
- Share what you learn about the importance of fathers and the barriers they may face.
- Invite others to Fatherhood Council Events.
- Create space for fathers to tell their stories.
- Integrate
- Integrate what you learn into your personal and professional lives.
- Advocate for change with elected officials.
- Promote change within your organization.
Programs, organizations, and systems can:
- Learn
- Provide all-staff trainings on the importance of fatherhood and how it relates to your mission.
- Support your staff attending council and other father-friendly Events.
- Sponsor or partner on local events with the Washington Fatherhood Council.
- Assess your father-friendly policies, practices and programs.
- Share
- Recruit, hire, and retain fathers for direct service and leadership roles at your organization.
- Share your success working with fathers with other organizations and programs.
- Promote the Father Friendly Principles in and outside your organization.
- Create and expand culturally appropriate services for fathers of all backgrounds to meet their unique needs.
- Integrate
- Include fathers in your program design, policy development, and evaluation processes.
- Commit to communicating with all parents whenever possible. Be sure to ask for all parents' contact information so you can keep them informed.
- Take all parents' schedules into account when setting meeting times to maximize participation.
- Ensure materials in your offices and on your outreach and communication channels are welcoming to fathers and tailored to their specific needs.
State of Fatherhood in Washington Study
The State of Fatherhood in Washington state study is a first-of-its-kind effort to assess the current fatherhood ecosystem to develop a clearer understanding of progress among individual agencies, programs and policies, and their contributions toward the Washington Fatherhood Council’s goals and vision. The study considered the national context of fatherhood policies, programs and leadership as well as lessons learned from other states’ fatherhood commissions and initiatives. This backdrop was used to evaluate, in detail, the fatherhood landscape in Washington state.
The study ran from June 2023 through June 2024 and included the Washington Fatherhood Council, Camber Collective Consulting Group, and researchers from the University of Washington.
Key Findings:
- Fathers and fatherhood figures experience stigmas and inequities.
- Data and monitoring systems that capture fathers are not fully developed, making it hard to assess and address inequities.
- Policies and approaches to fatherhood inclusion remain inconsistent.
- Representation of fathers in program and policy design is limited. Increased cross-agency funding, planning, and coordination are needed.
- The council plays a critical role in shaping solutions to system challenges fathers face.
