The Orange County Fatherhood Coalition, under First 5 OC’s leadership, proudly hosted the inaugural Fatherhood Conference. The event brought together nearly 100 service providers dedicated to strengthening father engagement across the region. The conference was themed Include, Engage & Empower Dads and provided practical strategies for community partners to implement father-inclusive practices in their programming.
Supervisor Sarmiento welcomed attendees, underscoring the County’s commitment to supporting fathers and families. Participants also heard directly from fathers sharing their lived experiences, as well as presentations by First 5 OC about engaging dads in home visiting, and Dr. Matt Englar-Carlson discussing men and boys’ mental health. Several partners held workshops, including OC Department of Education, Fristers, Fatherhood Connection, OC Health Care Agency, Father Factor Co-Parenting Services, and Purpose Driven Fathers.