Intensive Research on Importance of Fathers Shows their Presence is Critical in Families, Society

Teresa Neumann : May 22, 2008
Staff - Inspire Magazine

"Most people know as a matter of common sense that fathers are important and it is generally better for children to have a father than not. Research backs up this common sense."

EDITOR'S NOTE: At a time in my life when I was a single mom, articles and research showing the importance of fathers used to make me feel very inadequate. Looking back I realize that is not what they're meant to do (nor is this article). While this research verifies what many already realize—that men are vitally important to a child's development—a father-figure may (out of necessity) be a trusted male who is an older relative, a family friend, teacher, a coach—even a grandfather. However, in light of this article, absentee fathers need to look at their decisions, and those fathers who are ALREADY doing their jobs should be encouraged and vindicated by the research. –Aimee Herd, BCN.

(United Kingdom)—Inspire Magazine reports that Social Policy charity CARE, addressing the increase in IVF in society, has released important new research highlighting the importance of fathers in families and society in general.

Dan Boucher, director of parliamentary affairs, explained: "One of the key developments since 1990 and the last Human Fertilization and Embryology Bill has been the publication of a great deal of fathers' research, the balance of which overwhelmingly highlights the importance of fathers. This is not just on the basis that it isn't great if parents split and the father leaves the family home. More profoundly, it demonstrates that fathers bring something to the parenting process that is different from what is brought by the mother, which must be lost in the absence of a father. Most people know as a matter of common sense that fathers are important and it is generally better for children to have a father than not. Research backs up this common sense."

Nola Leach head of public affairs said: "It would be extremely irresponsible to turn one's back on the balance of recent research on the basis that there is some limited work, based on very small sample sizes, that reaches different conclusions."