Can Child Welfare Caseworkers’ Positive Attitudes Enhance Nonresident Father Engagement Practices

Bibliographic Data

ID21619620
AuthorsJulia Arroyo (0000-0002-4916-8205, College of Charleston, corresponding author), Brianna P Lemmons (0000-0003-4554-0396, Baylor University), Brianna Lemmons (PhD, MSW, associate professor, Baylor University, Waco, TX, USA)
Year2025
Publication date2025-11-22
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueFamilies in Society The Journal of Contemporary Social Services (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1044-3894 • E-ISSN: 1945-1350
PublisherSAGE Publications (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1177/10443894251363666
OpenAlexW4416537409
LanguageEN
References cited88

Plans to improve nonresident father engagement practices within child welfare systems often include enhancing worker attitudes. Yet, there is little research on the role of worker attitudes in father engagement practices. To address this, we conducted logistic regression analysis with a sample of 1,300 child welfare cases in four U.S. states in 2004–2005. We found that workers’ attitudes that involving nonresident fathers helps child well-being increased their odds of contacting a nonresident father (odds ratio [OR] = 1.43 [1.00, 2.03]), seeking health insurance (OR = 2.25 [1.26, 4.02]), but did not affect workers seeking financial support from fathers. We call for better measurement of attitudes, their contexts, and their impact

Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study · Logistic regression · Odds · Welfare · Welfare system · Family Dynamics and Relationships · Gender, Labor, and Family Dynamics · Work-Family Balance Challenges

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