Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Paternity Communication topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Franklin County staff say establishing paternity and communicating with caseworkers are first steps for fathers
Summary
County child-support staff recommended establishing paternity when needed, making contact with support officers and using communication to resolve temporary hardships rather than allowing conflicts to block parenting.
Denise Hagood, an outreach worker with Franklin County Child Support, said that for families without established paternity, a first step is showing up and putting parentage on the record: "for those, that don't have paternity established is showing up, showing up for that establishment and saying, yes I am dad and let's put this on record." Hagood said recorded paternity and communication with caseworkers can reduce uncertainty and help officers provide resources when a parent faces job loss or other disruptions.
Panelists recommended two-way communication between parents and the agency. Green said that when a father communicates difficulties, the agency may explain expectations, ease concerns about timing of payments or suggest resources such as employment training. The hosts emphasized that communication builds rapport, which in turn increases the agency’s ability to help.
