Father-Friendly Environmental Assessment

The Father-Friendly Environmental Assessment is designed to help prepare your program to provide services to fathers and support their involvement in the lives of their children. Completing this form will help to steer your program toward successful father involvement efforts and help establish a firm foundation for building the rest of your work with fathers.

Directions: Walk through your center and complete the following assessment. If you are a woman, it might be useful to take a man with you.

Scoring:

2 points for having achieved this goal
1 point for some progress made
0 points for no action taken yet

A. First Impressions
The initial reception area is free of signs or posters that would be possibly intimidating for men, e.g., posters that target men as batterers. The name of the agency is neutral or inclusive of men. The receptionist is warm, friendly, and comfortable with men and fathers participating in program activities.

B. Physical Landscape
All visual materials include men and fathers of varied racial and ethnic backgrounds in positive roles; posters have positive, nonstereotypic messages. Magazines and brochures are relevant to both men and women. Materials are available in the home languages of the families.

C. Role Models
There are men present in the agency, including male staff working with parents and children in roles other than as van driver, cook, janitor, or accountant.

D. Linguistic Landscape
Verbal and nonverbal language and cues avoid stereotyped generalizations about men; there is no joking or humorous conversation where men/fathers are the butt of the joke; there are no informal negative conversations about men to be overheard.

E. Materials/Activities for Parents
Equipment, resources, and types of parenting activities are diverse and relevant for both fathers and mothers. Specific brochures/publications are provided for fathers, and non-custodial fathers are recognized. Referral lists include services for fathers as well as mothers. Fathers are involved in planning and implementing fatherhood involvement programs and other activities for the agency.

F. Communications and Roles
Men in the agency, whether staff or fathers, are listened to with open minds; their ideas are considered thoughtfully. Differences in male/female communication styles are understood and respected – men are not expected to communicate exactly like women. Men are appreciated in both traditional and nontraditional roles. They are not asked to do all of the heavy labor tasks (but are appreciated if they volunteer to do these things). Their ability to be effective and appropriate in their interactions with young children is recognized.

G. Interaction with Parents
Mothers and fathers get equal respect and attention from staff. Fathers are addressed by name in their primary language, if possible. The staff expects fathers to be involved, welcomes them warmly, recognizes and respects differences in male and female parenting styles, and avoids “correcting” fathers as they interact with their children.

H. Classroom Environment
Father-friendly children’s books, including non-fiction, are available. Pictures, posters and other visual materials show fathers at work and at home. Materials are available that fathers might enjoy using with young children. Curriculum topics and learning experiences are chosen that appeal to men. Stereotypic presentations of men in books, posters, toys, or conversation are avoided.

TOTAL SCORE

Rating:
0-5 Just beginning
6-10 In process
11-14 Almost there
15-16 Congratulations!

This assessment form was sent to those attending The Father
Factor: National Head Start Institute on Father Involvement
and is included in the Building Blocks for Father Involvement.
It was adapted from the Male-Friendliness Environment Audit
developed by Pam Wilson under contract with the Head Start
Bureau, 2001.