Engaging fathers who commit family violence: Issues and challenges for family courts

Intervention with fathers who commit family violence is an essential but often overlooked part of effective family court proceedings. This article provides an overview of how evidence-informed engagement with fathers around family violence can complement family court efforts to achieve safe and healthy outcomes for children. The focus on fathers is not based on bias against fathers, men, or masculinity, but rather it is consistent with the fact that fathers comprise a substantial proportion of those who use family violence. These men need more effective engagement and interventions. Fathers in these circumstances need to be engaged in services that can assess, monitor, and manage ongoing family violence and risk as well as develop skills to form more positive, healthy relationships with their children and children's mothers. Courts, in turn, need to consider evidence of accountability and change. Application and continued development of the strategies recommended herein would enhance the safety of mothers who experience violence, their children, and the well-being of fathers who have used family violence. Collaboration with community partners serving families must become cornerstones in promoting the safety for and with all family members. Intervention with fathers who use family violence is an essential part of family court proceedings.There are evidence-based programs for treating people who use family violence in their roles as intimate partners and parents.Evidence of change in fathers is crucial to decisions to drop supervision and increase parenting time.Effective family court intervention requires collaboration with community agencies providing services for children and parents living with family violence.Communities of practice may be a good model to foster enhanced collaboration.