Participation in Responsible Fatherhood Programs in the PACT Evaluation: Associations with Father and Program Characteristics

This brief presents new findings on the factors that are associated with fathers’ participation in responsible fatherhood (RF) programs. It is based on data collected for the implementation study of RF programs, which documents how the programs were designed and operated and identifies challenges and promising practices. It uses data from the Parents and Children Together (PACT) evaluation to describe the characteristics of fathers enrolled in PACT and the associations between the fathers’ characteristics and their program participation. Fathers with a child support order were more likely to attend a core workshop. They also participated in a greater percentage of workshop hours than fathers without a child support order. Each RF program established relationships with their local child support office to assist fathers with navigating the child support system—which may have boosted participation among fathers in need of these services.