More about the Dads: Exploring Associations between Nonresident Father Involvement and Child Welfare Case Outcomes

This study follows up on a prior study of child welfare agencies' efforts to identify, locate, and involve nonresident fathers of children in foster care. These analyses use information from the original survey and administrative data on case outcomes to explore three research questions: (1) Is nonresident father involvement associated with case length? (2) Is nonresident father involvement associated with foster care discharge outcomes? and (3) Is nonresident father involvement associated with subsequent child maltreatment allegations? The study finds that having an involved father is associated with shorter case length and a greater likelihood of reunification. Findings also indicate that, contrary to some caseworkers' fears, nonresident fathers' contact with the child welfare agency and involvement with their children is not associated with subsequent maltreatment allegations. The results, though exploratory, suggest that engaging the nonresident fathers of children in foster care could potentially improve outcomes for the children. Further research is needed to better understand the association between nonresident fathers' involvement and a greater likelihood of reunification. (Contains 2 tables, 7 figures, and 34 footnotes.) [This report was prepared by the Urban Institute under contract to the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.]