2023 National Forum:
All About Fathers* and the Men* in Children’s Lives (*cis and transgender)
May 2, 3 & 4, 2023
11 AM – 5 PM ET / 8 AM – 2 PM PT
Maternal Child Health. Mother-Infant Dyad. What about fathers? And the male providers in classrooms, clinics, home visiting, and other services for expectant families and families with young children?
Men are critically important to children's development, learning and wellbeing, yet they are often little more than an afterthought in supports and programming for families. When father engagement is the focus, it is frequently limited to "masculinizing" waiting rooms with Sports Illustrated and Car and Driver magazines and undergirded with negative assumptions and fears.
Families are changing, and so is fatherhood. So many men want to be more involved in raising their children. Yet they're not always welcome when they show up at programs and services for families. Programs and providers are often unprepared to open up space for fathers and the other men in children's lives.
BTC's 2023 virtual National Forum: All About Fathers* and the Men* in Children's Lives (*cis and transgender) will bring together fathers and the men in children's lives for a series of conversations that:
- Provide fresh perspectives on the many facets of masculinity that fathers and men bring to children and families
- Shift mindsets about the roles of fathers and men in children’s lives – from the beginning and before
- Build awareness of cultural, ethnic and racial differences and similarities in father roles, and in the supports and barriers for fathers’ involvement in their children’s lives
- Understand fatherhood as a developmental process across the lifespan
- Explore the role of fathers’ relationships with children’s mothers, whether cohabiting or romantically involved or not, in their involvement in their children’s lives
- Affirm fathers and men who work with children and families for their essential role in children’s lives – from the beginning and before
We'll also hear from a father who is a children's book author about deep looking and love, at this year's T. Berry Brazelton Award Ceremony!
See below to view the Forum agenda. You can register to attend all three days, or select the days that most interest you. For up-to-date information about our speakers, visit the Forum website.
All Forum sessions provide live Spanish translation and closed captioning. Certificates of attendance will be provided.
T. Berry Brazelton Award Ceremony
Please join us on Wednesday, May 3, at 3:30 PM ET / 12:30 PM PT to remember T. Berry Brazelton and to posthumously honor Betty Bardige as this year’s awardee. Betty was a developmental psychologist, author, advocate for young children’s language and literacy, and former Chair of the Brazelton Touchpoints Foundation. All National Forum participants are invited to this special event.
Registration Fees:
Early Bird Rate, by March 31:
- Full Forum (3 days) – $235
- 2 Days – $190
- 1 Day – $95
Regular Rate, after March 31:
- Full Forum (3 days) – $265
- 2 Days – $210
- 1 Day – $105
Additional Information:
- All BTC Learning Network members get the Early Bird Rate! Contact us if you are a member.
- Groups of 10 or more participants receive a 10% discount! Please use our new online registration system to register your group.
- Questions? Email touchpoints@childrens.harvard.edu
2023 BTC National Forum 3-Day Ticket
Early bird special pricing to March 31 only!
Save 10% when you buy 10 or more tickets.
This is a 3-day ticket for the full National Forum, May 2–4
Join us as we celebrate the critical role that fathers and men play in supporting children’s and families’ healthy development and well-being. Each day includes roundtable conversations about — and with — fathers and the men in children’s lives, the unique assets they bring, and the challenges they face.
2023 BTC National Forum 1-Day Ticket – May 2
Early bird special pricing to March 31 only!
Save 10% when you buy 10 or more tickets.
This is a 1-day ticket for May 2.
Join us to hear stories from men as they discuss their journeys to successful fatherhood as Native fathers, their experiences before and at the beginning of life, and their professional roles in the lives of children and families.
2023 BTC National Forum 1-Day Ticket – May 3
Early bird special pricing to March 31 only!
Save 10% when you buy 10 or more tickets.
This is a 1-day ticket for May 3.
Join us to hear stories from men as they discuss Black fathers’ mental health, including trauma, loss, hope, and joy; and learn about a parenting program called Supporting Father Involvement, which promotes partnership in parenting.
2023 BTC National Forum 1-Day Ticket – May 4
Early bird special pricing to March 31 only!
Save 10% when you buy 10 or more tickets.
This is a 1-day ticket for May 4.
Join us to hear stories from men as they discuss their experiences as gay and trans dads, and as Black fathers supporting Black mothers and babies. We will also have a special performance of the Voices of Renaissance Children’s Choir from the Boston Renaissance Charter Public School.