1 / 6

ENGAGING WITH FATHERS

ENGAGING WITH FATHERS. Tom Carroll and Neil Sutherland. Edinburgh Lone Fathers’ Project. Partnership between the voluntary and statutory sectors with funding from Sure Start works with lone and contact fathers activities/outings on Saturday mornings with fathers and their children

ilana
Download Presentation

ENGAGING WITH FATHERS

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. ENGAGING WITH FATHERS Tom Carroll and Neil Sutherland

  2. Edinburgh Lone Fathers’ Project • Partnership between the voluntary and statutory sectors with funding from Sure Start • works with lone and contact fathers • activities/outings on Saturday mornings with fathers and their children • assistance with benefits, legal rights, housing issues • Project worker can act as an advocate on behalf of the father, also assist with filling in forms (Community Care Grants etc) • Can help in assisting fathers seek further education, training with a view to employment

  3. Why Do Dads Feel Left Out? • Many agencies are more accustomed to dealing with mum rather than dad • Fathers are unsure of their rights • Media portrayal ( absent, not interested, not capable) • Not knowing where to look for help • Feelings of being unsupported during the legal process and frustrated after it • Feelings that they were not listened to/their point of view disregarded • Perception that dads are less able than mothers • New relationships • Uncomfortable about using family centres

  4. How We Have Engaged With Fathers • Fathers are more at ease in their own home environment • They can use the service in an advocacy capacity (fathers who are not confident enough to deal with certain agencies on their own) • Move at their pace • They can use the service as a way of socialising • One to one and peer support • Non judgemental • Activity based parenting activities • It’s geared around them

  5. Pause For Thought The feedback I receive from dads is that they are still having to prove that they are capable and they can be the main carer of their children. Dads do, and can care. As one dad said when I asked him “What does being a dad meanto you?” His reply “Being responsible for my actions and their effect on my daughter, to help my daughter become the best she can be”.

More Related