The amount of contact fathers have with their children in the months following a parental separation is crucial for determining how often they will see each other in the years to come, a study released Monday suggests.
Those dads who stay in close touch with their children in the first few months have a greater chance of remaining in frequent contact later, said the study, conducted through Statistics Canada's Research Data Centre program and recently published in the Journal of Family Issues.
The study used Statistics Canada data from 1994 to 1997 that followed non-resident fathers and their children over two-year periods. All children were age 11 or under and living with their mother.
A strong positive link was found between child support payments and the frequency of visits, which suggests fathers who invest time are also more inclined to invest money and other resources.
Overall, though, the study suggests fathers who were involved in the children's lives following separation did not abandon them, despite whatever family commitments they later took on.
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Those dads who stay in close touch with their children in the first few months have a greater chance of remaining in frequent contact later, said the study, conducted through Statistics Canada's Research Data Centre program and recently published in the Journal of Family Issues.
The study used Statistics Canada data from 1994 to 1997 that followed non-resident fathers and their children over two-year periods. All children were age 11 or under and living with their mother.
A strong positive link was found between child support payments and the frequency of visits, which suggests fathers who invest time are also more inclined to invest money and other resources.
Overall, though, the study suggests fathers who were involved in the children's lives following separation did not abandon them, despite whatever family commitments they later took on.
Full story
More...