Fatherhood In Foster Care: How Corporate Parenting Shapes Early Childhood Father Involvement

Background and Purpose:

Fathers play a critical role in early childhood development, yet their involvement is often shaped by structural and systemic contexts that constrain engagement. This is especially true for young fathers in foster care, whose parenting unfolds alongside transitions to adulthood and system involvement. Despite growing recognition of fathers’ importance in early childhood systems, little research has examined how marginalized fathers navigate involvement with their young children. This study addresses this gap by examining the experiences, messages, and needs of young Black fathers in extended foster care, with a focus on how child welfare systems shape early father involvement.

Methods:

This qualitative study draws on qualitative data from Black fathers in extended foster care (ages 18–21) enrolled in a parenting services network in collaboration with the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services. A convenience sample was used due to recruitment constraints within a small population. Approximately 48 eligible fathers were identified; 15 expressed interest, 12 consented, and 8 completed at least one in-depth interview, with 2 completing follow-up interviews. Participants were biological fathers of infants and young children, including both resident and nonresident fathers. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews focused on fatherhood experiences, involvement, and system interactions. Interviews were analyzed using multi-level thematic analysis to identify patterns related to father involvement, service engagement, and unmet needs.

Results:

Findings reveal that young Black fathers in foster care are highly motivated to be involved in their children’s lives and describe engagement across multiple domains, including caregiving, emotional support, and financial provision. Fathers reported participating in prenatal care, daily caregiving routines, and co-parenting responsibilities, even when not residing with their children. However, their involvement was often constrained by structural barriers, including placement restrictions, limited visitation flexibility, and lack of father-inclusive services. Fathers described receiving minimal guidance about fatherhood from the foster care system, with most learning parenting skills independently or through observation. When services were provided, they were often perceived as mother-focused or not responsive to fathers’ roles, particularly for nonresident fathers. Participants identified unmet needs related to co-parenting support, emotional support, and access to education and employment opportunities that would enable them to meet parenting responsibilities. Fathers also described navigating surveillance, system oversight, and concerns about child welfare involvement, which shaped how they engaged with services and disclosed parenting status. Despite these challenges, fathers expressed strong commitment to their children’s well-being and articulated aspirations to remain present and supportive in their children’s lives.

Conclusions and Implications:

These findings highlight both the potential and the constraints of father involvement among young fathers in foster care. While fathers demonstrate strong motivation to engage with their children, current child welfare and early childhood systems are not fully equipped to support their involvement. Expanding father-inclusive practices, particularly those that address co-parenting, emotional support, and structural barriers to engagement, is critical. Strengthening these systems to better recognize and support fathers’ roles can contribute to more responsive, inclusive approaches that promote child and family well-being during early development.