Children of Inmates Young Father's Mentoring Program Daddy Dens

The Second Chance Act Strengthening Relationships Between Young Fathers, Young Mothers, and Their Children provides funding to support the successful transition of young fathers and mothers as they return to their families and communities from incarceration. This program funds coordinated and comprehensive strategies that incorporate (1) mentoring and transitional reentry services proven to reduce recidivism, (2) effective parenting skills development and parent/child relationship engagement for young fathers or mothers, and (3) private and community service partnerships that promote public safety and support added positive outcomes for young parents and their children.

Children of Inmates, Inc., proposes to provide small group mentoring and transitional services for eighty (80) young incarcerated fathers under the age of 25 re-entering Miami-Dade and Broward counties from the Florida Department of Corrections. The primary focus of the Children of Inmates: Young Fathers Project is a group mentoring model that will equip young fathers with evidenced based parenting skills and financial literacy, while concurrently building community supports to assist in successful reentry. Targeted case management and employment readiness training will be provided, commencing prior to and continued after release from residential correctional institution. The goals of the program include: 1) creating opportunities that are conducive to “turning points” or “epiphany” moments in a young offender’s life, 2) equipping young fathers to establish ongoing positive parenting behaviors, 3) organically forming lasting support systems between young offenders, their mentors and members of their communities, 4) establishing a comprehensive system of care that addresses the needs of participating young fathers upon release into their communities, and 5) participating young fathers will receive individualized employment readiness training and an individual employment service plan. CA/NCF