About Our Conference

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The New England Fathering Conference (NEFC) was initiated in Massachusetts in 1999 and was held there annually until the Planning Committee decided to rotate the event around the New England region every two years. We’ve continued hosting successful conferences in Connecticut (2008, 2009 and again in 2016 and 2017), Rhode Island (2010, 2011, 2014 and 2015) and Maine (2012 and 2013), each with 300-400 attendees and presenters from across New England and beyond! We then brought the conference to Springfield Massachusetts for 2018 and 2019, highlighting how our work with fathers supports the legacy they are creating for their children and celebrating our 20th annual event.   In 2020, 2021, and 2022 COVID-19 prevented the NEFC from meeting in person, but our work continued online.  In 2020, we offered a three-part webinar series for fatherhood professionals, in 2021, we offered eight workshops at four quarterly sessions to keep folks engaged, and in March 2022 we hosted an online conference (Opportunities for a New Beginning).  In March 2023, we were very excited to sell out (over 450 attendees!) our 23rd annual conference in Newport, Rhode Island: Parents and Children Thriving Through Change.  March 2024 will see us returning to Newport for the 24th annual conference: Healthy Fathers, Families and Communities.