Fatherlessness having a deceased father. unaccompanied boy. 2. Without having a father who is known or who is legally liable. When parents divorce, there is a father's absence since the father no longer resides with the kids. A child's behavior and development have been shown to be impacted by parental separation. Early parental divorce (during primary school) has been linked to more internalizing and externalizing behaviors in the kid, however, divorce occurring later in childhood or adolescence may have a negative impact on academic achieve.