QIC-NRF Information Page

Child Protective Services and the Fatherhood Coalition of Tarrant County are working together to provide services to non-resident (non-custodial) fathers.  The purpose of this project is to determine, through a research design, the impact of non-resident father involvement on child welfare outcomes including child safety, permanence, and well-being.  Included in this design is the examination of the relationship between children and non-resident fathers or paternal relatives.

What does QIC-NRF mean?

FUNDED BY:

U.S. Dept of Health and Human Services

Administration for Children and Families,

Children's Bureau

NATIONAL PARTNERSHIPS:

American Humane Association

American Bar Association Center on Children and the Law

National Fatherhood Initiative. 

Together, these organizations have formed the Quality Improvement Center for Non-Resident Fathers (QIC-NRF).

The focus of this project is the result of the federal Child and Family Services Reviews and the "What About the Dads?" report from 2006, which indicated thatthere is very little meaningful engagement occurring between the child welfare systems and fathers.    A summary of this project is available upon request or can be viewed on-line at: http://peerta.acf.hhs.gov/ uploadedFiles/QIC_BBDads%20final%20final.pdf

Bringing Back the Dads

Press Release

Non-Resident Fathers Project Selects Four National Sites for Funding
to Increase Father Involvement and Improve Outcomes in Child Welfare

DENVER, Feb. 26, 2008 - The National Quality Improvement Center on Non-Resident Fathers and the Child Welfare System (QIC-NRF) today announced the four projects that have been selected to receive funding from the Administration
of Children and Families in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services from 2008 to 2011. The newly awarded sites are:

• Indiana Department of Child Services ( Indianapolis), in collaboration with Indiana Fathers and Families Center and the Indiana University School of Social Work. The Indiana Department includes the Child Support Enforcement Agency. This closely links the work of the two organizations.
• Division of Children and Family Services (DCFS) of the Department of Social and Health Services for the State of Washington: Region IV (King County) , in collaboration with local fatherhood programs Divine Alternatives for Dads and Fresh Start Fatherhood Program; Catalyst for Kids; the Division of Child Support, King County Juvenile Court, and the Office of Public Defense; and program management as well as independent research through the Northwest Institute for Children and Families at the University of Washington School of Social Work.
• El Paso County, Colorado (Colorado Springs) Department of Human Services in collaboration with The Center for Fathering, Policy Studies Inc., the Parenting Opportunity Program, Goodwill Industries, Community Partnership for Child Development, and the Center for Policy Research in Denver.
• Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (Tarrant County, Texas – Fort Worth) in collaboration with members of the Tarrant County Fatherhood Coalition, New Day Services for Children and Families, Tarrant County Workforce Development Board (Workforce Solutions for Tarrant County), Foundation Communities, Tarrant County Safety Net, and The Urban Institute of Washington, D.C.

ENGAGING THE FATHERS   Qualified non-residential fathers who are identified during the child removal process at CPS are contacted by representatives of NewDay Services on behalf of the Fatherhood Coalition of Tarrant County.   Face-to-face interviews are conducted and fathers are invited into the research process.   Participation is voluntary. One-half of the fathers will receive services as usual from CPS. The other half will receive additional support from the FCTC, including an initial 12 week class designed to help fathers understand and engage the child welfare system and take steps toward being part of creating better outcomes for their child.

The Texas Department of Family Protective Services (DFPS) states: The goal of this project is to gather and analyze data from the research sites to provide insight into the effectiveness of activities that promote non-residential father involvement on the well-being of their children in the welfare system. The data collected will be used to aid in the facilitation of nationwide policy to address this issue. DFPS will work to maintain sustainability of the project when the grant funding is over. *

* Full document is available upon request

Coalition Members participating as partner on this project

Tarrant County Child Protective Services

NewDay Services for Children & Families – Administrator and Project Coordination

Workforce Solutions - Comprehensive Case Management

City of Fort Worth - Co-Facilitator

Dispute Resolution Service – Co-Facilitator

The Parenting Center – Co-Facilitator