April 2, 2002

Dakota Fatherhood Summit Set for April 9

Fatherhood is on the public agenda, with efforts ranging from presidential executive orders to local discussions under way across the nation to target responsible fatherhood as an important element in public policy, according to a family specialist at North Dakota State University. One such effort, the Dakota Fatherhood Summit, a state-level conversation intended to stimulate dialogue and collaboration on the topic of fathers in family life, will be held Tuesday, April 9, in Bismarck, N.D., at the Best Western Doublewood Inn from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

"The presence of an involved and committed father is one of the most important factors in the development and well-being of children," notes Sean Brotherson, family science specialist with the NDSU Extension Service. "This summit is intended to bring together interested persons from across the region who are willing to engage the issue of fatherhood and what might be done to facilitate the healthy involvement of fathers in family life."

The summit is intended for a broad audience and is being organized and co-sponsored by the NDSU Extension Service and the North Dakota Head Start State Collaboration Office. "We would like to see fathers and mothers themselves, as well as community members and professionals who work with family issues, including educators, counselors, legislators, social workers, health care workers, clergy, attorneys, judges, mental health professionals, extension agents, and others who may be interested," says Everett Bailey, assistant professor of marriage and family therapy at NDSU.

Topics to be addressed during the summit include fathers and public policy, research on father involvement, barriers and challenges to father involvement, and examples of successful programs for reaching men and fathers. There will also be significant time for dialogue and planning.

Interested persons can register for the summit by calling the NDSU Extension Service at (701) 231-8113 or by e-mail to sbrother@ndsuext.nodak.edu. Registration is free. There will be an attendance limit of 125 persons due to room capacity, so registration will be on a first-come, first-served basis.

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Source: Sean Brotherson, (701) 231-6143, sbrother@ndsuext.nodak.edu
Editor: Gary Moran, (701) 231-7865, gmoran@ndsuext.nodak.edu