In the Child’s Best Interest: Terminating the Rights of Fathers With Children in Foster Care

The authors conducted a content analysis of appellate court foster care cases in which fathers appealed the termination of their parental rights. Applying the Responsible Fathering framework to organize the contextual issues that impede men from responsibly fathering, the authors sought to learn what factors affect decisions regarding the termination of their parental rights. Multiple risk factors emerged including lack of social support, financial resources, and opportunities. Implications for practitioners include attending to father’s mental health, alcohol and/or substance abuse, issues surrounding incarceration, and the coparental relationship.