There is now no doubt that the positive involvement of fathers in their children’s lives promotes better child well-being in a number of key areas. Following a review of 24 studies, Sarkadi et al., (2008) concluded that father engagement:
‘reduces the frequency of behavioural problems in boys and psychological problems in young women; it also enhances cognitive development while decreasing criminality and economic disadvantage in low SES areas’ (p.157)
A key strategy for promoting greater father engagement is the timely and effective provision of support to men in their parenting role. However, despite an increasing policy and statutory focus in this area, it remains the case that almost all formal family support is offered to mothers, with the result that the vital contribution which fathers can make may be undermined in a number of ways.
Despite the convincing research that demonstrates the importance of fathers in children’s lives, the field of father/male carer inclusion is a challenging one, with services traditionally experiencing great difficulties in delivering services to men.
Our new book Engaging Fathers in the Early Years, written by Carol Potter (senior lecturer at Leeds Metropolitan University, UK) and Roger Olley (awarded an MBE for services to families in the 2011 honours awards list and recognised as one of the lead practice-based experts on including fathers and male carers in frontline public services) explores why this is the case and offers a number of well-validated approaches for recruiting and retaining father participation in services. A key theme throughout the book is that a gender-differentiated approach is essential to achieve effective father engagement. In straightforward terms, such an approach acknowledges that the needs of men and women are likely to differ in a number of significant ways and that to work effectively with men, services will need to address these needs differently.
At present, children’s services are generally geared to meeting the needs of women which goes a long way, it is argued, to explaining the relative lack of involvement of men. It is important to state clearly that not all father involvement is positive for children and families, for example, where there is domestic and/or child abuse. A key message for services, though, is that for good or ill, fathers do have a significant impact on their families. This book is primarily aimed at practitioners working within universal services. Whilst it is vital that services work effectively with those men who may pose risks for their families, much more specialized approaches will be needed in such circumstances and these are beyond the scope of this book.
The book is divided into three parts. The first explores a range of topics that contextualize the issue of father inclusion. Chapter 1 provides an evidence-based rationale for working with fathers, summarizing some of the key research findings in relation to positive father involvement and child outcomes. Chapter 2 gives an overview of the development of United Kingdom (UK) policy in relation to fathers, and details service responsibilities in relation to engaging fathers across children’s services. Chapter 3 sets out a systems approach to collecting information on fathers which, it is argued, is the very first step on the road to father inclusion.
Part Two of the book explores issues relating to father inclusion across a range of early years services in the antenatal and post-natal periods, early years play settings, and in the early transition from such settings to formal education. Barriers to inclusion are discussed in depth, together with detailed approaches for overcoming these obstacles.
Part Three introduces notions of diversity in fatherhood. Fathers are by no means a homogenized group and both similarities and differences must be taken into account to provide accessible services to a range of fathers whose experiences and needs may differ in significant ways. It would, of course, be impossible to cover the full range of diverse experience in one volume. Here, we explore specific issues relating to working with young fathers, fathers from black and minority ethnic communities, fathers of disabled children and separated fathers. There are a number of barriers to service use that generally affect all fathers, but in these chapters, issues which are specific to these groups are examined, together with approaches to developing effective service delivery. Case-study material is provided to illustrate ways forward.
Each chapter includes key issues for reflection so that individuals and, more importantly, teams of practitioners can reflect upon the issues raised in relation to their own organization and begin to explore ways of implementing and evaluating any changes necessary to improve the involvement of fathers in service delivery.
Finally, we would wish to emphasize that this is not a book about fathers per se, nor does it seek to undermine the absolutely vital contribution that mothers, or female carers make to children and family life. Rather, it starts from the assumption that positive father involvement in children’s lives, supported by effective service delivery, contributes significantly to the wellbeing and development of children and families and that this aspect of support for families has, for too long, been significantly overlooked.
- Engaging Fathers in the Early Years has now published and is available to buy. Click here to view more details about the book.
It has received excellent endorsements so far and has been described as ‘An inspiring book which not only highlights the huge difference that fathers can make to their families, but also outlines some simple and effective steps we can take to ensure more children enjoy the benefits of having an involved dad in their lives… essential reading for everyone working with children and families in the UK today’ by Glen Poole, Strategic Director at The Men's Network, UK and ‘a welcome addition [that] reaffirms the importance of engaging fathers’ by June O'Sullivan, Chief Executive at London Early Years Foundation, UK.
