Single parent, female-headed households are more likely to live in poverty and struggle with social problems such as substance abuse, violence and delinquency. Given the large percentage of Connecticut children that live in fatherless homes, community leaders recognize the need to promote positive fatherhood initiatives.
One factor that separates fathers from their children is imprisonment. For many of these families, separation because of incarceration is the beginning of the end. Without intervention, family reunification is unlikely.
Programs that provide employment and family re-entry services to offenders help them become valuable employees and loving and supportive members of their families.
Program Description
Families in Crisis, Inc. works with the Hartford Housing Authority to assist at-risk Hartford fathers involved in the criminal justice system assume their legal, financial and emotional responsibilities for their children and families.
The Fathers Work Program provides incentives and graduated rewards to assist each offender achieve vocational and family success. The Program has two levels of service followed by aftercare. Participants are provided with clearly defined objectives to work toward and receive targeted support to achieve goals. Program staff assists both offenders and family members. Employment and family services are provided at correctional facilities and in the community.
Key Features
- Holistic intervention – provides services to the entire family and not just the offender father
- Encourages and enhances responsible and skilled parenting
- Helps with job readiness, employment and budgeting
- Delivers “user-friendly” services in prisons and the Hartford community
Results
- Fathers become a contributing member of their families and community upon release from prison
- Families move out of poverty and lead self sufficient lives
- Families provide emotional, social and financial support to their children and break the generational cycle of poverty and crime
