Boys to Men: Challenges on the Risk to Resilience Continuum

The definitive role that fathers play in child development is not clear, although role clarity may be influenced by biased views of human development advanced by men. Attention to fathers as caregivers did not emerge in developmental sciences until the second half of the 20^th century.  Research in that era provides evidence to suggest that fathers have both direct and indirect influences on risk and resilience structures that emerge during early childhood. In our workshop we will take a different approach to the question of fathering; specifically we will first look at boys from a risk to resilience continue.  Why?  Because boys become men, and they become fathers, and early life experiences affect adult behavior.  Then we will look at issues related to father absence and father presence.   Within the context of father presence, we will review evidence related to negative and positive aspects of father presence.  The underlying theme of the session will focus on considerations of how the interdisciplinary field of infant mental health can expand its purview of parent (mother)-child relationships to include father issues within a family context.

Presenter: Hiram E. Fitzgerald, Ph.D.

“Where is Daddy?” Engaging and Maintaining Relationships with Fathers When Working with Infants and Children. 

This presentation will offer participants the opportunity to learn applicable skills for engaging and maintaining working relationships with fathers while working with their children.  A multimedia presentation using video, photographs and descriptive scenarios will be provided.  A question and answer session with a group of dads who have participated in Early Head Start and/or Head Start services will be facilitated.   Participants will have the chance to gain insight into the father’s perspective within the infant mental health model.

Presenter: Amy Dorrow, BSW Early Childhood Specialist, Early Head Start

Registration begins at 8:30 AM.

CEU’s: Pending approval for 5.5 Michigan SW CEU’s and will also count toward the requirements for the MI-AIMH endorsement. 

Registration: $80.00 for non-members, $65.00 for MI-AIMH members, $35.00 for students, $10.o0 for CEUS.

Registration deadline: 3/4/16

Cancellation policy: Notice of cancellation must be submitted no later than 7 days prior to the event for a refund to be issued.

Note: Agency checks should be made payable to MI-AIMH. Please indicate the names of all staff attending the training.

Mail checks to: MI-AIMH, ATTN: Deborah Kahraman, 13101 Allen Road, Southgate, MI 48195

For registration questions, contact Deborah Kahraman at:

dkahraman@mi-aimh.org or 734-785-7705, Ext. 7194