Welfare of Children Essay Example for Free

Welfare of Children Essay The family is the basic unit of society. It holds an essential part in fostering a sound and ideal environment that is related in enhancing the world that everybody lives in. This is the reason why establishing good family relationships is very important. Being the case, the role of every family member especially of the parents should be given due attention. However, there is an observable inequality as to how fathers are viewed in comparison with mothers when it comes to the nurturing of their children. Most people believe that it is the primary responsibility of the mother to take care of the children while the father has to deal with money matters. Social workers also adhere to this kind of perspective as they give more importance to mothers when assessing the welfare of a child. Nevertheless, various studies have shown that the absence of fathers in nurturing and guiding their children has detrimental effects. According to the study of Michael Lamb from the University of Michigan, children who are 7 to 13 month old have the same responses when they are separated from their parents. When their father left, the children would have tantrums, which is the same as when their mothers leave them. This research proves that both parents have an important role in development of their children especially during their formative years. Thus, fathering should not be taken for granted (Chen, n. d. ). Some analysts conclude that children who grew up without a father tend to have behavioural problems that are mostly observable in the inability to perform well in school especially when it comes to math and science (Chen, n. d. ). Long term studies in the United States and in New Zealand have conclusive results that father absence increases their daughters’ susceptible for early sexual activities and teenage pregnancy. Evidences prove that daughters who were left by their fathers at a young age tend to develop unstable relationship with men, which makes them engage in casual relationship with the opposite sex (Quigley, 2003). Research also shows that father absence is one of the primary causes of serious social problems like poverty and delinquency (McLanahan, n. d. ). The different studies and researches conducted only prove that the role of the father in the nurturing and rearing of children should not be taken for granted. Fathers should not be simply confined with providing financial and material things. They should also do their part in raising their kids. In the same manner, the society like social services should also give due importance to the part of the father in taking care of their children. The presence of fathers is essential in the development and well being of their children and their family as well as in the enhancement of the whole society. References Chen, N. (n. d. ). The Impact of Father Absence. Retrieved October 6, 2008, from http://extension. missouri. edu/cooper/fok/father_absence. htm. Quigley, A. (2003). Father’s Absence Increases Daughter’s Risk of Teen Pregnancy. Retrieved October 6, 2008, from http://mentalhealth. about. com/cs/familyresources/a/teensex503. htm. McLanahan, S. (n. d. ). Father Absence and the Welfare of Children. Retrieved October 6, 2008, from http://www. olin. wustl. edu/macarthur/working%20papers/wp-mclanahan2. htm.