CHICAGO – November, 2013 – Governor-appointed Chairman Jeffery M. Leving will host the Illinois Council on Responsible Fatherhood (ICRF) annual symposium on December 7th from 12:00 PM – 5:00 PM at the Oak Park Library, 834 Lake Street, Oak Park, IL. This free symposium will focus on critical issues facing single and divorced fathers today, regardless of background or nationality.
The symposium is comprised of a series of presentations by professionals who will speak on a wide range of fatherhood-related topics including the alleged failure of the Illinois Child Welfare System, the effect of parental substance abuse and parental alienation – with support and advice on how to break the dangerous cycle of father absence.
Featured speakers include:

  • Illinois Detective Wayne Halick, who will provide crucial safety tips that benefit dads regarding the use of cellular data to protect their kids.
  • Norris Stevenson, Deputy Administrator of the Illinois Department of Public Aid, will provide a special presentation concerning the critical impact of Administrative Orders.
  • Chicago Matrimonial Attorney Tim O’Grady will be discussing recommended reform for the Illinois Child Welfare System.

Noted guests include Žygimantas Pavilionis, Lithuanian ambassador to the United States and Mexico, and preeminent Chicago divorce attorney and ICRF supporter, Joseph Sparacino.
The goal of the symposium is to empower fathers and provide them survival strategies to take home. The council is made up of experts from all facets of the professional world, each immensely dedicated to supporting single and divorced dads in Illinois.
Chairman Leving, attorney and author of the book How to Be a Good Divorced Dad (Jossey-Bass 2012), has spent his life making significant strides supporting paternal involvement.
“The ICRF is here to provide a solution to father absence by promoting positive paternal involvement and contributing resources to support all fathers in all communities,” said Chairman Leving. Positive father involvement has been shown to improve academic test scores, reduce the teenage pregnancy, and encourage confidence in children. Chairman Leving and ICRF council members want to ensure that fathers are provided the essential support and parenting tools to assume the important role they play in their children’s lives.
For more information, go to www.responsiblefatherhood.illinois.gov.  Chairman and Attorney Jeffery M. Leving is a pioneer in fathers’ rights and social change, co-author of the Illinois Joint Custody Law.

Follow him at @fathersmatter on Twitter. For media inquiries contact Jennifer Whiteside, 312.296.3666.