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love you daddy A is for Attitude
Fathers matter a great deal to their children and have an important role within the child’s life, and increasingly want to be fully involved in
their children’s lives. “Many children and family
services are still predominantly mother focused and often struggle to engage with fathers as a result. Services need to look at how they can change this or they will fail to meet the needs of children and families.” The DfCSF (2009)
You could start by observing the welcome you
give all parents – are you giving fathers the same
attention and warm welcome as you do moth-
ers?
B is for best practice
Working with fathers isn’t about changing
Xxxng for funding can often raise your xxx xresxxxre yet it is a part of running a early years bxxiness. Our funding expert, Jxxxggs, xxusses xxhe ‘Xxt Fit For Funding’
everything we do, it’s about making small, sim-
order to help parents help their children, we as
newsletters address them to both mothers and
show them ways to be more effective. This
ple changes. For example when sending out
fathers, rather than “parents”. This way fathers will feel included.
Check out your settings documentation –
are you getting information from both mothers
one of the most difficult. We all know that children can be challenging and demanding. In
likely to enjoy and achieve to their full potential and it can take the pressure off mothers too.
F is for fathers
Recognise and celebrate the value of fathers.
“Fatherhood in Britain has changed over recent decades; fathers’ care of infants and young
children has increased eightfold since 1975 and the average dad now spends two hours each
weekday with his children while undertaking a quarter of child-related tasks
We should all be working with fathers to
support them in becoming the best dads they
G is for getting it right – whole team approach
fathers.
involve activities with fathers and their children
Of all the jobs in the world, being a parent is
family – research shows that children are more
important principle applies both to mothers and
you’re doing and would they do anything differ-
C is for the complex role of being a parent – that includes fathers too
Engaging with fathers will support the whole
can be.” DfCSF 2009
D is for - Dad’s groups – why not set one up!
ently.
E for engagement
professionals need to acknowledge this fact and
and fathers.
Invite fathers to give their views about how
needs and assess what you are offering.
These can work well especially when they and can be a useful stepping stone into other activities at the setting. The Every Parent
Working together as a team has always been
important when introducing any new policy.
Listening to each others’ views and sharing best
practice will help build confidence. Observing
each other and evaluating our practice will lead to better outcomes.
running sessions where dads and their children
H is for Dads Having Fun with their Child
ities or take part in music or photography proj-
kind of activities they like is vital. If fathers are
Matters’ paper suggests engaging fathers by work together on an allotment, visit sports facilects However in order to engage successfully
with fathers, it is important to find out their
Getting to know the fathers to find out what welcomed into the setting and can see their children having fun and enjoying their learning,
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they will feel more inclined to want to join in.
involvement policy that reflect the importance of
school Learning Alliance demonstrated that “in
a difference.
were aimed specifically at including fathers, it was
N is for the National Picture
appeal to fathers, but that consultation with
fathers’ involvement in their child’s learning and
working with fathers as well as mothers and make
Tim Kahn’s recent research for the Pre-
terms of the activities that settings offered that
There is now growing evidence that promoting
not just the topic of the activity that might
care can enhance development.
fathers could play an important part in affecting
Consequently, fatherhood is increasingly seen as
whether fathers chose to attend or not” .
an issue in national policy and practice. In March
I is for information
2007 the Government published Every Parent
For more information here are some useful
Matters, which recognises that the Government
organisations:
needs to consider how public services can effec-
The Fatherhood Institute www.fatherhoodinstitute.org The Pre-school Learning Alliance at www.pre-school.org.uk Department for Children, Schools and Families at www.dcsf.gov.uk
J is for joined up thinking
Clear leadership and a careful planning are
important factors in ensuring that everyone in
your setting is committed to engaging with fathers.
Management and leaders need to support
staff to implement new policy.
Take a look at job specifications and descrip-
tions – do they reflect the setting’s policy of
involving fathers in their child’s learning?
K is for key issues
Do you know who the fathers are and if so how
they like to be addressed? In order for fathers to be involved their details should be included on
registration forms even if they do not live with their child.
M is for Making a Difference
The evidence is there: fathers definitely
can make a difference to their child’s learning and development. Make changes now to your parental
are traditionally thought of as more likely to
team’s expertise to make your engaging with X is for the X-factor fathers policy happen. Remember that fathers will – the special ingredient that your setting have a vast amount of experience to bring to your already has for working with parents – make it setting. include fathers too.
balls. However it is important to remember that
W is for the Way Forward
R is for resources
You could set up activities using resources that
engage fathers – e.g. woodwork tools or foot-
all fathers are different and we should not make assumptions and aim to include them in all our
activities. A father would be interested in the con-
centres-are-working-with-fathers) made the fol- you think they count. lowing conclusions: Put your new approach into practice using
brushes and spoons.
nated, however, many centres are actively trying
sees how fascinated his baby is in exploring shells,
child’s life, reaching out to both fathers and mothSince 1 April 2008, there has been a statutory
fathers is to ask them! Ask what they like about
ers.
duty on local authorities to provide mothers, as well as fathers and carers with a range of high quality information, advice and assistance to sup-
The simplest way to find out how to engage your setting and if and why they feel welcome.
Ask them about how you could improve your
provision. Remember that you only need to
port their children up to their 20th birthday.
change certain aspects of your practice to make
O is for ongoing monitoring and evaluation
T is for training
Tracking your settings progress in engaging
fathers is fundamental to best practice. Monitor
the number of fathers who are really involved in
your setting? Keep a record of the number of
fathers involved with and regularly track progress.
P is about being professional
Welcome fathers and make them feel like they
belong at your setting by being a “professional friend”.
Q is for questions
Why not devise a questionnaire to find out what
the fathers at your setting think of the service provided and if they feel included. Use their
responses as a discussion point at a staff meeting or training session.
mothers. Review your partnership with parents The Joseph Rowntree Foundation’s research in written policy. Will it make fathers too feel wel2000 (www.jrf.org.uk/publications/how-family- come? Change the wording so fathers know that
tents of a treasure basket for example, once he
S is for Keeping it Simple – it’s not rocket science!
tively engage with all the significant adults in a
You’re probably already working well with
fathers’ involvement a reality.
Check with your Local Education Authority to see what training in your area is available for early
years practitioners. The Fatherhood Institute and the Pre-school Learning Alliance offers training for raising awareness about working with fathers.
U is for understanding
First that there will be barriers and considering how to tackling them. As with all early years
practice we need to be continually monitoring and evaluating how well we are working.
Understanding that research shows that
fathers want to be involved and that this is beneficial to the whole family.
V is the vast amount of experience
Make it a whole team approach and use your
The workforce is still strongly female-domi- the skills you already have.
to work with fathers.
Having some identifiable strategy for work-
Learn from each other and make the most of
your strengths.
ing with fathers mattered more than what that Y – yes we can!
strategy was.
We can work with fathers and because research
Fathers often found the activities offered - tells us it will make a difference to the child and such as crafts and alternative therapies, unappeal- the father then we should begin to address the ing and ‘unmanly’. They preferred more barriers and challenges to make it happen. active and practically focused things to do, such as outdoor activities and DIY.
Z is for Zoning in
Centres often take a different approach As professionals we know it makes sense, so be depending on the sex of the parent. pro-active in zoning in on your work involving Work with fathers tends to be more child- fathers. Make simple changes and see what a diffocused, with an emphasis on childcare and little ference you can make. that caters to fathers’ other, wider interests Unless otherwise stated, fathers are defined
and to work successfully with fathers, to consider inclusively to mean both birth fathers and other working with fathers as men, not just as child men who play a significant fatherly role in chilcarers.
dren’s lives.