The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences and challenges of custodial fathers. The author-developed interview guide was used to gather information from the fifteen custodial father participants. The data were collected by the researcher conducting twelve face-to-face interviews and three telephone interviews.

This study found that the custodial fathers experienced the most challenges with: day care (e.g., picking up, dropping off, and the cost of); feeding their children (e.g., preparing meals and cooking); diaper changing, and teaching their children to be accountable for their actions. Custodial fathers shared their experiences with lone parental joy in: spending time with their children, watching their children grow and develop, and just seeing their children happy.

With the growing demand for social workers to be competent in the area of diverse family structures, it is important to understand how custodial fathers perceive their unique role.