What Are Some of the Reasons That Contribute to the High Rate of Absence of Fathers in Caribbean Families, and How Significantly Does the Presence of the Father Affect the Development of Caribbean Children?

Course ID: FOUND 1401

Assignment: Research Essay

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Date: 2012 – 11-20

Tutor: Mrs. Paulette Bell – Kerr

Stream/Day & Time: Thursday (6 p.m. – 8 p.m.)

What are some of the reasons that contribute to the high rate of absence of fathers in Caribbean families, and how significantly does the presence of the father affect the development of Caribbean children?

Leading psychologist, Michael E. Lamb (1999) expresses that fathers are the “forgotten contributors to child development.” The surge of fatherless homes or the reality of fathers being absent in Caribbean homes has in recent years become more prevalent resulting in the socio-economic and emotional development of our children being retarded. Research has reinforced the longstanding view that many hold, which is that the presence of the father crucial to a child’s development and that the roles of father are distinct and irreplaceable in child development, therefore an active father is imperative to a child’s well-being.

Father absence refers to the situation in which a child does not have his/her biological father dwelling with them in a common home (it does not apply to children whose father have died) and may occur as a result of cultural, economic and social factors. Alarmingly, in several modern societies, a bizarre concept is accepted where men’s participation in child care is not encouraged as any sign of tenderness is shied away from and men are urged to “toughen-up” and be strong. “In Trinidad, the extended family of parents, sisters, grandmothers, cousins, aunts, ‘pumpkin vine’ family and even neighbours all vie excitedly to take care of a new baby (Awong-Persaud, 2011)”, which results in the marginalization of the father. The poor economic conditions present in several Caribbean countries is also a reason Caribbean men are missing in the homes as they are often motivated to migrate in pursuit of better wages and more hopeful futures. As a corollary of this migration they...