Registration Open for Fatherhood Conference

Inland Empire men will have the chance to be inspired, educated and better equipped to tackle the challenges of fatherhood and to be actively engaged in their children's lives during the Inland Empire Fatherhood Conference. The Aug. 15 conference, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Inland Regional Center at 1365 South Waterman Ave in San Bernardino, will feature several speakers and workshops that will provide fathers with information and resources. Keynote speakers for the event include Richard Jones, an actor, and Barry E. Knight, an author and leadership coach. Topics addressed during the workshops include: tips for new and young fathers, financial empowerment for dads, how to navigate the systems, fathering children with disabilities, and several others. “One of the most consequential social trends of our time is widespread father absence in the lives of our nation's children,” said Marty Sellers, Chair of the Inland Empire Father Involvement Coalition (IEFIC) and Executive Director of Operation New Hope. Lesford Duncan, of the San Bernardino County Children’s Network and the co-chair of the IEFIC added that “an absent father increases a child's risk for experiencing a host of poor outcomes in the short and long term, such as poverty, poor school performance, child abuse and neglect, emotional and behavioral problems, and incarceration.” The inaugural conference is a result of collaboration by the Inland Empire Father Involvement Coalition (IEFIC), a group of community-based organizations, county agencies, faith-based organizations, and individuals from various professions working together to reduce father absenteeism and the negative images of fatherlessness. The mission of the IEFIC is to encourage healthy child development by promoting the involvement, necessity, and value of the role of fathers in the family and community. Participating San Bernardino County agencies include the Children’s Network, Children and Family Services, Preschool Services Department, Behavioral Health, Public Health, Child Support Services, Probation, Superintendent of Schools, and others. The Children's Network of San Bernardino County works to improve the quality of life for children at risk who, because of behavior, abuse, neglect, medical needs, educational assessment, and/or detrimental daily living situations are eligible for services from one or more of the member agencies of the Children's Policy Council. To register, visit http://fathers.eventbrite.com.