About Doug Edwards
Doug Edwards is the founder and Director of Real Dads Forever, a Fatherhood Strategies Development organization. He has facilitated for and consulted with Connecticut’s Department of Social Services, State Department of Education, Department of Children and Families, Department of Public Health, Department of Corrections, School Readiness and Head Start Centers, and many public and private schools and Family Development Centers in New England around parental involvement with a focus on fathers and family men.
Doug is a founding member of the Advisory Council of The Fatherhood Initiative of Connecticut and a member of its Executive Committee, and past President of the Board of Directors of The Children’s Law Center of Connecticut. He was formerly the Statewide Coordinator for the Parents Supporting Educational Excellence (PSEE) program and is a consultant and National Master Facilitator Trainer for the Parent Leadership Training Institute (PLTI) and a Certified Family Development Credential (FDC) facilitator. In addition, Doug has received Accreditation and is a Certified Provider of Triple P (Positive Parenting Program) in Levels 2, 3 and 4 and is a trainer and Triple P consultant to the Department of Social Services. He currently chairs the Advisory Council of the Family Development Center of Eastern CT Health Network (ECHN) in Manchester and is an Advisory Board member of the CT Judicial systems Parenting Education Program.
Doug has traveled throughout the country presenting at conferences, developing and facilitating workshops, providing professional development, training staff, and motivating parents to set their children up for success and to prepare themselves to partner with their local school systems to improve educational outcomes for all children in their communities.
Also a member of the CT Department of Public Health Maternal and Child Health advisory committee, he has been a member of the Fetal Infant Mortality Case and Community Review teams. The author of a curriculum, Paternal Prenatal Early Attachment, Doug has designed, written and facilitated fatherhood curricula, and father and parent workshops. He has spoken with hundreds groups, and thousands of men, including dozens of school groups.
Workshop / Training Presentations
Staff Development Training for Dept. of Social Services and Judicial Dept., Child Support Enforcement Division
Fatherhood Training Class for St. Joseph’s College School of Social Work, Goodwin College Early Childhood Program, Charter Oak State College Early Childhood Program
Staff Development Training for Voluntary Paternity Establishment Participants (Manchester Community College, Tunxis CC, Housatonic CC, Three Rivers CC, Asnuntuck CC)
Staff Development Training for Capitol Region Education Council and State Department of Education Participants
Staff Development Trainings for East Hartford, Manchester, Bristol, Boards of Education Head Start Programs
5th thru 15th Annual New England Fathering Conference, Staff Training Workshop Presenter
Fatherhood Session, CT Bar Association Continuing Legal Education Training for Family Law Practitioners and Judges
Fatherhood Workshop for State Department of Education, School, Family and Community Partnership Administrators
Staff Development Training for State of New Hampshire Head Start Programs, Lincoln NH
Staff Development Trainings for Community Renewal Team Head Start/Early Learning Programs
Staff Development Trainings for Dept. Children and Families Positive Youth Development Program Sites
Staff Development Training for Thames Valley Council for Community Action, Norwich CT
Presenter, “Parental Involvement / Parent Leadership Training Institute” 100 Black Men of America Annual Leadership Conference, Miami FL, Jackson Mississippi and Las Vegas Nevada
Workshop Presenter, “Transcending Fathering Challenges” Corrigan-Radgowski at Uncasville, MacDougall at Suffield, and Osborn at Somers, Correctional Institutions in CT
Keynote Speech / Workshop Presenter, California DSS, Parent Leadership Conference / Sacramento CA
Developed, conducted and presented “A Needs Assessment: “A Father’s Perspective: Issues related to grief and loss.” Area Health Education Center, Hartford CT
Grand Rounds with OB-GYN physicians and maternity nurses, “A Father’s Perspective: Issues Related to Grief and Loss.” Hartford Hospital and St. Francis Hospital, Hartford CT
Workshop Presenter, “The Art and Science of Engaging Men In the Lives of Their Children” at the “Together We Will” conference at Cromwell CT
Workshop Presenter, “FATHERHOOD – Why Do Children Need Men?” at the “Childhood Conversations” conference at Windsor CT
Workshop Presenter, “The Value of a Man in The Life of a Child” at CT Association of Foster and Adoptive Parents
Workshop Presenter, “Connect Forever: Centering Pregnancy With Real Dads” at Centering Healthcare Conference, The Power of Connection, Leadership for Health Innovation in San Antonio TX
Fatherhood Workshop Series, “What You Can Do To Help Your Child Succeed In School” at Franklin Elementary School in partnership with CT Education Association in Stratford CT
Workshop Presenter, “Engaging Dads and Family Men,” Children’s Trust Fund Conference, Marlboro MA
Presentation, “Paternal Prenatal Early Attachment” Maternal Child Health Advisory Committee New Haven CT
Fatherhood Training Class for UConn School of Social Work, Bachelors and Doctoral Candidates
Workshop Presenter, “Do Kids Really Need Men,” UConn NEAG School Of Education, CommPACT Schools
Keynote and Professional Development Workshop, L.I.F.E. Conference, The Children’s Workshop, Taunton MA
Day Long Workshop Facilitator - “Fatherhood Seminar: Do we really need men? The Prenatal Fatherhood Experience, Marketing Recruitment and Retention” East Hartford CT<
Presentation, “Paternal Prenatal Early Attachment” MIECHV Fatherhood Initiative Quarterly Meeting Meriden CT
Presentation, Collaboration and Curriculum alignment with Centering Pregnancy, “Paternal Prenatal Early Attachment” Boston MA
Workshop presentation, “Paternal Prenatal Early Attachment” A Two Hour Workshop for Family Workers, Children’s Trust – 22nd Annual View From All Sides Conference, Marlborough MA
Workshop presentation, “TOGETHER – Dad and Mom Build a Nest” A Two Hour Workshop for Family Workers, MSPCC Fathers and Family Network, Holyoke MA
STRATEGIES DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES
Men at School – Connecting Father Involvement and Academic Achievement - September 2003
An Eight Session School Program (3 Workshops/5 Child Events) East Hartford BOE
A Father’s Perspective: Issues Related to Grief and Loss - November 2003
A Needs Assessment – CT Area Health Education Center / Fetal Infant Mortality Review
Strategies to Reduce Infant Death / Disability Due to Shaken Baby Syndrome - June 2004
A Workshop Presentation - CT-American Academy of Pediatrics
Distinctions - Competitive and Cooperative, A Mom and Dad Workshop - February 2006
Investigating and celebrating parenting styles - Middletown BOE
Let’s Build a Brain – A Family Literacy Workshop Project -April 2006
A Two-Hour Dad and Mom Workshop - CREC Hartford
Sex: The Thrill and the Bill - April 2007
A hard-hitting interactive workshop for older teens exploring all the facets and consequences of sexual activity including emotional, social, physical and financial aspects, both positive and negative. (Caution: EXPLICIT)
Teen Parenting Program - May 2007
A Six Session Program for Moms and Dads – Community Partners in Action Hartford
Prenatal Early Attachment Program Supporting Mom and Baby - December 2008
A Twelve Session Prenatal Program Targeting Men – CT Department Public Health
Grief Support – Acknowledging Fathers - March 2009
A Professional Development Program for Hospital Staff – CT Area Health Education Center
The Value of a Family Man in the Life of a Child - May 2009
A Three Hour Workshop for Pre-School Dads - CT College Children’s Program
"I Need My Dad: From Conception to Forever" - August 2009
A Two-Hour Workshop for Staff Development - Nurturing Families
Art and Science of Engaging Men and Male Teens -January 2010
A Three-Day Staff Training – Bridgeport AFL Grant Bridgeport Health Dept
How to Boost Your Child’s Self-Esteem - April 2010
Neighborhood-based Parenting Workshop – New Haven Family Resource Centers
Down to Earth Parenting Advice for Child Discipline - April 2010
Neighborhood-based Parenting Workshop – New Haven Family Resource Centers
Nurturing the Social/Emotional Development of Your Child - April 2010
Neighborhood-based Parenting Workshop – New Haven Family Resource Centers
Dads and Family Men, an Underutilized Social and Emotional Resource - May 2011
A Two Hour Workshop for Masters and Doctoral Social Work Candidates exploring the value of a man in the life of mom, their child and their community.
Engaging Dads and Family Men - January 2012
A Six Hour Workshop for Social Workers and Early Childhood providers - SERC
Prenatal Early Attachment Program Supporting Mom and Baby (Revision b) - October 2012
An Eight Session Prenatal Program Targeting Men - CT Department Public Health
Spirituality: A Dad’s Gift to His Child - January 2013
A workshop exploring the intersection of mind and heart, where deep inspiration and motivation is developed, and how dads can understand and value spirituality as a gift they can give to their children.
Fathers and Family Men: Impacting the Lives of Their Children - August 2013
A Two Hour Workshop for Family Workers and Fatherhood Program Facilitators
Prenatal Fatherhood – A Golden Opportunity for a Teachable Moment - November 2013
A Two Hour Workshop examines the exciting and enlightening journey of the prenatal period as experienced by fathers. Facilitating their capture of those teachable moments is an important window of opportunity for men.
Brain Connections: Where are You and What are You Doing? - December 2013
A Two Hour Workshop for Family Workers, Fatherhood Program Facilitators, and parent groups, exploring our ability to nurture or impede brain development by way of our environment, our relationships and our behaviors.
Fatherhood Seminar – A Golden Opportunity for a Teachable Moment - January 2014
A Six Hour Workshop examines the unique characteristics of men, their value to the family, the prenatal fatherhood experience, fatherhood program marketing and making connections through the nuances of male communication.
Fathering For Learning: Creating an Environment for Brain Development - August 2014
A Two Hour Workshop for Family Workers - Fathers and family men can contribute to early childhood brain development. From the prenatal period through the first thousand days and beyond, dad has a special role to play in creating a stimulating environment that supports children’s learning. Learn all about it.
