Supporting Fathers to Prevent Child Maltreatment: How Paid Family Leave and Child Care Subsidies are Part of a Public Health Approach

Abstract

There are multiple components of a public health approach for preventing child maltreatment. One of these components is the question of who to intervene with. Fathers are an under-targeted and under-studied group for child maltreatment prevention. In this conceptual article, we describe a public health approach for intervening with fathers. Acknowledging financial stress as a key risk factor for child maltreatment among fathers, we explore two policy interventions that aim to increase economic support for families during the early years of a child's life: paid family leave and child care subsidies. During the weeks following the child's birth, paid family leave can promote child-father bonding and enable fathers to engage in more caregiving during a critical family transition. After paid family leave ends, child care subsidies can make child care affordable for families with low income, thereby promoting parents' employment and earnings. We conclude by highlighting ways in which fathers can take an active role in preventing child maltreatment.

Keywords: Child Care Subsidies; Child Maltreatment; Fathers; Paid Family Leave; Prevention.

Fig. 1. Public Health Approaches that Can Increase Economic Support for Families with Young Children and May Also Prevent Father-Perpetrated Child Maltreatment, By Age of the Child

Note. EITC = Earned Income Tax Credit. TANF = Temporary Assistance for Needy Families. SNAP = Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. WIC = Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children.