In addition, several other approaches are used, e.g., Internet links with research institutes, publishers, and associations. In addition, some authors address the lack of research on fathers and the presence of faulty assumptions about men and fathering within the literature. The issues around paternity establishment have not been widely investigated. Establishing paternity is an issue for unmarried families, particularly when mothers seek formal child support or public assistance. The literature on this issue has emphasized the need to ensure paternity establishment to supplement, if not recapture, AFDC funds.
Research reveals that poor mothers, however, are unlikely to adjudicate paternity.
Another significant barrier to paternity establishment is a lack of disseminated information about the process of establishing paternity. Many unmarried fathers simply do not know who to contact, what paternity establishment entails, and what its benefits are for children. Some clinicians discuss the social service agency as a good point of entry. Moreover, social agencies could provide needed information on the benefits to children of paternity establishment and father involvement. A number of studies testify to the success of hospital-based paternity establishment programs.