Casework with African-Caribbean Fathers: Best Practice or Missed Opportunities?

Abstract

<p>This thesis offers opportunities to a segment of our population who sometimes go unnoticed in literature on fathers: African Caribbean fathers. Specifically, this thesis offers fathers an opportunity to define themselves and inform readers of what factors influences them, and how this is translated into the larger picture of their perception and interaction with their own children and service providers, specifically child protection workers at Children Aid Societies.</p> <p>By no means are the findings in this study conclusive or to be generalized to the larger population. The sample size was small, however, there is value in understanding how these fathers experience fatherhood and what they feel that they do as fathers.</p> <p>The literature of African Caribbean as fathers is sparse. There is a tremendous amount of negative views on Black fathers, which appears to cross over all thresholds and continents. At the same time, there is a small section of positive literature which looks at the way men define themselves as fathers, and this makes it worthwhile in terms of utilizing a view which can look at the bigger and smaller issues.</p>