Roughly 25% of the children in America grow up without their biological father in the home, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. This has become so common to hear that many people don’t think much of it. They shrug their shoulders and go on about their business, not realizing the devastating impact that this statistic is having on the country. Dads’ Resource Center has completed an analysis of the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1997 to put a spotlight on how this problem is impacting children and society as a whole.
“Unfortunately, many judges, lawyers, guardian ad litems, state agencies such as children and youth, other county and state agencies, and the welfare system are culpable in creating or at least exasperating this very serious problem,” says Dads’ Resource Center founder Dr. Joel N. Myers. “Whatever their intentions may be, they play big roles in maintaining a system that discourages, inhibits or flat out denies children’s access to their fathers. This must stop now.”
The Dads’ Resource Center evaluated the most recent data available from the NYSY97 for outcomes for children from households with both biological parents compared to those without a biological father in the home.
In every metric that they looked at, children who were raised in a home without their biological father struggled much more in life than those who were raised in a home with both parents. This was the case regardless of race or gender. The analysis shows that children who grow up in a household without their biological father are:
- 7% less likely to have graduated from high school
- 11% more likely to have smoked
- 11% less likely to have volunteered in their community
- 13% more likely to need mental health treatment
- 13% less likely to donate to charity
- 71% more likely to have committed a crime
- 43% less likely to have graduated from college
- 33% more likely to have intercourse before the age of 17
- 26% less likely to vote
- 20% more likely to have used hard drugs
- 94% more likely to have used government welfare programs
- Made an average of 26% less annually
The Dads’ Resource Center analysis of the NLSY97 follows up a series of other studies that show how the courts and human services systems impede father family involvement. These include studies on the determination of custody time ordered by courts in contested custody cases, the ratio of male to female staff in offices of children and youth and the impact of PFAs on children’s access to their parents.
“It is unacceptable when dads that desperately want to fulfill their sacred responsibility as a father are denied the ability to do so,” said Myers. “As human beings, as a society, as a culture, as governmental agencies, we have an obligation to get to work and begin to reverse the present destructive situation, which has gone on for far too long.”
Dads’ Resource Center has been established to benefit children of separated or divorced parents by advocating the importance of fathers having adequate opportunities to fulfill their role of fatherhood. The group helps get information regarding the issues out to the public and work with fathers to help make improvements. To get more information, visit the site at: https://dadsrc.org.
About Dads’ Resource Center
The Dads’ Resource Center is committed to providing education, resources and advocacy for dads who are separated or divorced and are determined to uphold their sacred responsibility as fathers. The Dads’ Resource Center was founded by Dr. Joel N. Myers, who is the founder and CEO of AccuWeather. To get more information, visit the site at: https://dadsrc.org.