Today, the number is nearly 25 million. More than one-third of these children will not see their fathers at all during the course of a year. And, the trend is getting worse. This is troubling news for our children. Experts agree that the lack of a father in the home has a negative impact on children.
Violent criminals are overwhelmingly males who grew up without fathers.
In contrast, the presence of two committed, involved parents contributes directly to better school performance, reduced substance abuse, less crime and delinquency, fewer emotional and other behavioral problems, less risk of abuse or neglect, and lower risk of teen suicide. There is simply no substitute for the love, involvement, and commitment of a responsible father. Strong child support enforcement is critical to getting fathers who have the ability to pay to support their children. However, research shows that a large portion of fathers who do not pay child support are themselves poor. Many have limited education and are unemployed or underemployed.