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Our friends at US-based National Fatherhood Initiative® (NFI), in collaboration with the Center for Policy Research, recently released a 45-page report on the importance of fathers. It makes a strong economic case for investing in fathers, in fact, USD $154 billion strong.

The report ‘updates a previously published analysis by NFI of expenditures for father-absent households in 14 major (US) federal government assistance programs in 2006. It also improves the reliability of the 2006 data and compares 2006 patterns with expenditures for these same 14 government assistance programs in 2018.’

The NFI writes, ‘children who live in father-absent households face many disadvantages that reverberate throughout their lives, subsequent generations, and society.’ In the United States, 1 in 4 children live in father-absent households. This is a shocking statistic when you consider that in 1960, around 1 in 12 children lived without their father.

In Australia, it’s estimated that one in six children lives without their biological father at home. Sadly, it seems we’re following in the footsteps of the US.

The Rising Cost of Father Absence

Tragically, things have gotten worse since 2006:

In 2008, NFI published The One Hundred Billion Dollar Man, the first report to estimate the cost of father absence to US taxpayers via federal expenditures for government assistance programs to provide income, nutrition, health, early childhood, energy, and housing support for low-income Americans. The 2008 report estimated that in 2006, the US federal government spent at least $99.8 billion assisting single-mother-headed households via 14 government assistance programs.

Over the last 20 years, the cost of fatherlessness, just in the US, has increased from $99.8 billion per year to $154 billion per year. We are facing a global epidemic of fatherlessness. The inspired words of Ps. Ron Williams are as true today as they were in 1998:

The greatest need in Australia is the restoration of fatherhood.

Dads4Kids will always advocate for fathers, not to take anything away from mothers (after all, it takes a mother to make a father), but because fathers matter deeply.

Dads being actively engaged in the lives of their kids is vital for families to flourish. When fathers thrive, children are the beneficiaries, and families prosper. As Pope John Paul II famously said, ‘as the family goes, so goes the nation and so goes the whole world in which we live.’

Turning the Tide: Rebuilding Fatherhood Together

The $154 Billion Man report makes for sobering reading, but it’s not all doom and gloom. The document ends by highlighting six ways we can all work together to strengthen families:

1. Raise awareness internally and externally about the importance of a father’s presence. This is something Dads4Kids has worked at consistently since 2002, through our weekly Newsletter and annual Community Service Announcement TV ads. Please encourage friends and family to subscribe to the Newsletter here and help Dads4Kids continue to raise awareness about the importance of a father’s presence.

2. Secure public and private support for father-supportive policies and funding for local fatherhood initiatives and programs. Dads4Kids’ work advocating for and supporting fathers is made possible thanks to the support of generous donors. If you can help fund father-friendly policies, local fatherhood initiatives and programs by financially supporting Dads4Kids, we would be most grateful.

3. Advocate for strengthening existing local parenting and family-strengthening efforts. Every year, Dads4Kids conducts family-strengthening events and programs such as our Courageous Online Fathering Course, Men’s Leadership Summit, and Dads4Kids Fun Camp. You can support us here to continue strengthening dads and their families.

4. Build broad support for starting and expanding statewide fatherhood initiatives and other family-strengthening efforts. Dads4Kids continues to build broad support through initiatives such as International Men’s Day, International Boys’ Day, and has hosted many summits, conferences and forums in Parliament House, Canberra. Your support is needed to do more.

5. Further inform federal and state legislation and policy that make a long-term investment in strengthening fathers’ economic capacity, involvement, and two-parent families. Dads4Kids continues to inform legislators and the wider public through our various publications, many Government Policy Submissions, and our resource-rich website. Your support will help us continue this much-needed work.

Together, we can turn the tide of fatherlessness.

Lovework

Download the $154 Billion Man report and read it for yourself. Share it with policymakers, politicians, public servants or anyone you know who cares about the future of Australia. We can turn the ship around as we speak up about the importance of fathers, work together, and each of us as dads commit to being the best we can be for our kids. The future of Australia depends on it.

Yours for fathers,
Nathaniel Marsh

P.S. The New York Times recently (amazingly) reported on some fascinating research finding interactions with father, not mother, affect child health. Ellen Barry writes, ‘a long-term study of 292 families linked fathers’ parenting style to their children’s heart health years later. To researchers’ surprise, no such link was found with mothers.’ Read more here, and share along with the $154 Billion Man report.

Don’t forget this Saturday, 14^th February, is Valentine’s Day. Make sure you take some time to celebrate National Marriage Week (7-14 February) with your spouse too – find out more here.

P.P.S. If you’re encouraged by the work of Dads4Kids and can support the vision of helping fathers be the best they can be for their children, please consider making a tax-deductible donation here.