Remember, if you are dealing with a child support issue, it's important to consult with a family law attorney in your specific state to understand your rights and obligations fully. Laws can vary greatly, and an attorney can provide guidance based on your individual circumstances.

 

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[Disclaimer: The following excerpt below was taken from Very Well Family.com, If you need further information, assistance, or help please visit their website: www.verywellfamily.com ]

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Fathers' Rights Groups in the U.S.

Sources for Guidance, Emotional Support and More

By Jennifer Wolf 

Updated on January 18, 2023

 Fact checked by Rich Scherr

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Family courts attempt to make decisions on what's best for the child. However, there are times when even the best judge falls vulnerable to stereotyped thinking. From the 19th century up to the 1960s, courts tended to follow the "tender years" doctrine. This doctrine presumed that younger children were better off living with their mother, who was assumed to be the more nurturing parent.

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Since the 1960s, all 50 states have adopted a gender-neutral "best-interest standard" for determining custody. Yet some people argue that the biases of the tender years doctrine persist, since only one in six custodial parents in America are fathers.

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Similarly, people used to think that most men weren't interested in active parenting. Many fathers want to actively be involved in their children's lives—they want to help them learn survival and life skills, encourage them, build their self-esteem, teach them responsibility, and help them be a team player.

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Fathers today still need support when experiencing divorce and child custody proceedings.

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There are several organizations around the country that focus on supporting and maintaining fathers' rights, both in family courts and through legislative action. Fathers' rights organizations help educate fathers on their rights and action plans for shared custody. Additionally, father-involved custody encourages men to create strong relationships with their kids.

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Children's Rights Council

The Children's Rights Council (CRC) is a nonprofit organization founded in 1985. The CRC is a strong advocate for the active involvement of both parents in raising a child. They’re so dedicated to this idea that their tagline is "The Best Parent is Both Parents."

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In pursuit of social and legal justice, CRC serves to protect the best interest of children in custody cases. They strive to facilitate regular interactions between non-custodial parents and their children and also advocate for child custody reform.

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The Children's Rights Council has multiple service locations in Maryland. The organization offers services related to:

• Access and transfer centers

• Monitored exchange and supervised parenting time (visitation)

• Pre- and post-service facilitation

• Parental and family education

• Domestic education and training for parents and guardians

• Mediation

• Parent/child and/or sibling visits for children in different homes

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The National Parents' Organization

Originally called "Fathers and Families," the National Parents' Organization (NPO) is a nonprofit group that advocates for a child's right to love and be cared for by both parents. The organization encourages shared parenting and works to protect equal rights, as well as equal responsibilities, for both parents.

Organizations that focus on equal care for both parents may not seem to be focused on the rights of the father, however, by striving for equality they ensure that mothers and fathers have the same rights.

NPO has affiliates in many states to provide volunteer opportunities and resources in support of their family court reform mission. You can start your own affiliate organization or join a current one, currently available in the following states:

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• Alabama

• California

• Colorado

• Connecticut

• Florida

• Georgia

• Hawaii

• Idaho

• Kansas

• Kentucky

• Massachusetts

• Minnesota

• Missouri

• New Jersey

• New York

• North Carolina

• Ohio

• Oregon

• Pennsylvania

• Rhode Island

• Texas

• Utah

• Virginia

• Washington

• West Virginia

• Wisconsin

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Dads Divorce

Dads Divorce is dedicated to educating fathers on the issues of divorce, child custody, and child support. The website provides great tools, like a child support calculator or list of state divorce laws.

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Fathers looking for information and a support network about divorce and child custody can explore the Cordell & Cordell's Men's Divorce Podcast by the same producers. There is also a forum that connects fathers in similar situations. Additional resources provided include:

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• Divorce guides which help dads with the divorce process and financial aspects men often face.

• An attorney directory for men to find divorce and child custody attorneys in their state.

• Popular sub-forums involving tips from other men who have also experienced divorce before. Subjects include parenting, technology, finances, and more.

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Dads America

Dads America, also known as Dads Against Discrimination (DADS), empowers fathers to take charge of their families through father custody options. With the tagline, "Fathers Are Families' Best Bet," the national organization advocates for fathers' rights in legislative and executive entities throughout the United States. 

The Dads America organization has at least 17 offices nationwide where you can get information about your rights as a father, how to deal with joint custody problems as a parent, and more.

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There is also an online resource page regarding additional organizations in the U.S. like The Fatherhood Coalition in MA and National Congress for Fathers and Children. Fathers can also find information on domestic violence and false allegations against men, select attorneys, publications, and online support.

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The Fathers' Rights Movement

The Fathers' Rights Movement is a collective of passionate members who empower fathers to stand up for their rights and educate the public and family court system about the importance of fathers in society. They have many chapters throughout the United States, U.S. territories, Canada, and internationally which coordinate with location-specific social media pages.

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Get information on upcoming rallies, volunteer opportunities, and news. There are also resources like books, state documents and forms, and child support advice. For example, their fact sheet says that children who have equal and meaningful contact with two fit parents are less likely to:

• Drop out of school

• Run away from home

• Become pregnant or have an abortion

• Die by suicide

• Seek or create an abusive relationship

• Commit crimes

• Turn to drugs or alcohol

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If you or your child are having suicidal thoughts, contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 for support and assistance from a trained counselor. If you or a loved one are in immediate danger, call 911.

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The Fathers' Rights Network

The Fathers' Rights Network supports the idea that every child has two parents they need access to. This free resource provides information on men and family issues, government news, alimony and support, and more. There is even a section dedicated to contacting a congressional office with directions on how to write to legislators and get active in the community.

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Fathers looking for parenting support can use the network to understand the importance of fathers in regard to their child's development:

"There's an awful lot of cultural belief that fathers are second-class citizens," said Joe Kelly, who founded the national advocacy nonprofit Dads and Daughters. "We're not more important than moms, or less. We're different."

 Strengthening Father-Daughter Relationships

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Fathers 4 Kids

Fathers 4 Kids, also known as Fathers For Equal Rights (FER), is a national resource for fathers in support of equal rights. There are office services, online courses, and additional benefits for members. Fathers can learn how to establish paternity, determine visitation rights, and represent themselves in court.

FER provides information on a child's right to have quality access to both of their parents and provides low-cost documentation preparation, reduced cost DNA testing, free notary services, and additional benefits to individuals and family members.

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2 Sources

By Jennifer Wolf
Jennifer Wolf is a PCI Certified Parent Coach and a strong advocate for single moms and dads.