1. Expect fathers to be involved.

• Communicate directly with fathers and encourage all fathers to get involved.
• Invite both parents to events and activities.
• Address letters and other communications to both parents.
• Include both parents in parent-teacher conferences and when making decisions about a child.
• Make sure the activities planned for parent-child events can be done with either one or two parents present; develop activities that encourage parents to interact with their children.

2. Go the extra mile.

• Send a personal invitation to fathers who rarely or never visit the program or school. Explain that you would like to meet them, since they are an important part of their children's lives.
• Offer alternatives so fathers can choose convenient meeting times and formats, for example, a phone call instead of an in-person meeting.
• Follow up throughout the year to ensure maximum male involvement.

3. Create a neutral forum.

• Refer to parents as "she" and "he" in communications and publications.
• Display pictures and photographs throughout the facility depicting both men and women with children.
• Include pictures of mothers and fathers in brochures and newsletters.

4. Make men visible.

• Hire male staff and recruit male volunteers.
• Invite fathers and other male role models to volunteer in classrooms and for other activities.

5. Meet fathers' needs.

• Provide opportunities for fathers to meet to support and learn from each other through support groups and/or mentoring programs. Leave the agenda open so participants can run their own meetings.
• Conduct surveys to identify what men want. Include services that address their interests and needs, such as employment assistance, computer training, and recreation.
• When setting aside special resources for mothers, such as a "Mom's Room," make sure there is a corresponding service for fathers.

6. Make fathers feel necessary.

• Sponsor activities that help show fathers that they are important to the program or school and an integral part of their children's lives.
• Ask fathers to participate in specific ways. For example, call upon individual skills such as fixing the classroom, teaching children to play a musical instrument, kicking a soccer ball, or cooking.
• Develop father-child activities such as breakfast before work. Host an annual Men's Day.
• Create a safe environment where custodial and non-custodial fathers can forge emotional bonds with their children and see themselves as nurturers and caregivers.

7. Address strong feelings regarding male involvement.

• Recognize mothers' hidden resistance to male involvement.
• Provide a platform so males and females can discuss their feelings about male involvement. Have a facilitator meet with men and women together and/or separately to identify barriers to male involvement and plan ways to overcome the barriers.
• Offer staff/volunteer training on how male involvement benefits children. Cover topics such as making positive phone calls, appreciating diversity and family strengths, holding parent-teacher conferences with both parents, and conducting home visits.