Guiding Principle 1: Children First

 

• We acknowledge the well-being and healthy development of children as our primary consideration.

• We promote every child's right to have access to a father's and mother's positive involvement.

• We encourage positive communications between parents for the best benefit of the children, regardless of the family structure.

 

Guiding Principal 2: Importance of Both Parents

 

• We recognize the unique contributions and responsibility of both parents, and the advantage for children in having positive interaction with both parents regardless of the family structure.

• We recognize that a key component of being an involved parent is the partnership and mutual support of both parents for the benefit of the children.

• We support and encourage communication between children's parents concerning the evolution of family dynamics.

 

Guiding Principal 3: Responsible father involvement

 

• We support fathers in developing personalized relationships with their children.

• We support fathers in the expansion of their understanding of the many facets of their fathering role.

• We recognize that in addition to the biological father, other men may complement the fathering role.

• We support fathers in their initiation of and participation in open dialogue about the evolution of family dynamics.

 

Guiding Principal 4: Social Responsibility

 

• We promote the idea that children are everyone's collective responsibility.

• We work to increase awareness among men of the impact of their decisions on children in general as they assume their varied societal roles outside the family.

 

Guiding Principal 5: Diversity

 

• We recognize the fact that parents require unique support that addresses their unique needs.

• We encourage the promotion of father involvement, taking into consideration cultural diversity, the different types of family structures and the sexual orientation of the father.

• We are sensitive to diversity in all its forms and are deliberate about recognizing the role of culture in parenting styles, rituals and traditions

• We acknowledge that parents come from varied social and economic backgrounds that contribute to their roles as parents.  

 

Guiding Principal 6: Empowerment

 

• We encourage the participation and empowerment of both parents at all steps of the process: from needs assessment to implementation and facilitation of activities.

• We encourage community development based on strengths, talents, gifts and resources.

• We will foster ongoing education and training to build on new and existing knowledge, strengths and abilities.

 

Guiding Principal 7: Collaboration

 

• We will emphasize a multi-level and multi-systemic approach, and strive to provide the best care for families based on inter-agency strategies.