Pitt's Office of Child Development Offers Parental Training-Just for Dads

PITTSBURGH-More than 24 million children-one out of every three-live in a father-absent home. Because children without a father are at higher risk for emotional neglect and poverty, the University of Pittsburgh's Office of Child Development (OCD) seeks to help fathers contribute to the well-being of their children. It offers free hands-on training in parental skills-for fathers only.

Called A Man's Guide to Child Development, the program takes place at the Duquesne Family Support Center, One Library Place, Duquesne. The curriculum offers 14 interactive, comprehensive training sessions on topics ranging from caring for a sick child to parenting children birth through 18. The training is free for custodial and noncustodial fathers throughout Allegheny County who have been referred by human service agencies, educational institutions, churches, and other community groups.

Classes are designed to help fathers develop and maintain healthy relationships with their children and learn about community resources available to help make parenting easier.

A Man's Guide to Child Development is offered through OCD's Fathers Collaborative program and is funded through the Frank and Theresa Caplan Fund for Early Childhood Development and Parenting Education and the Pennsylvania's Children's Trust Fund.

OCD is part of Pitt's School of Education.

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