Dads and Every Parent Matters In March 2007 the Goverment published Every Parent Matters which focussed on the importance of parental involvement in educational attainment and support the Government can provide. The report highlights fathers' involvement as crucial. The following extracts focus on what the report said about fathers.

2. Government's role in Enabling Parents to Support their Children's Learning
2.2 Fathers matter to children's development. Father-child relationships be they positive, negative or lacking – have profound and wide ranging impacts on children that last a lifetime, particularly for children from the most disadvantaged backgrounds. Research shows that where fathers have early involvement in a child’s life:

• there is a positive relationship to later educational achievement;
• there is an association with good parent-child relationship in
  adolescence; and
• children in separated families are more protected from mental health problems.

(Every Parent Matters, p.6)

3. The Early Years

The Importance of Fathers
3.10 Research shows that a father's early involvement in their child's life can lead to a positive educational achievement later on, and a good parent-child relationship in adolescence. It can, however, be a challenge to involve fathers and other males in services targeted at families with pre-school children. Some fathers are not accustomed to using such services. They may be unaware of them or think they are not for them. This is especially true of minority ethnic, young and nonresident fathers. Barriers to fathers' involvement can include:

• services that are insensitive to fathers' needs; that do not adequately connect with the context of fathers' lives or motivations;
• an overtly female focus and culture amongst staff and service users, and a lack of confidence to explain to female service users why it is important to engage with fathers; and
• under-estimation of the significance of a father’s involvement if he is not visible to the service, or not living with the child.

3.11 Irrespective of the degree of involvement they have in the care of their children, fathers should be offered routinely the support and opportunities they need to play their parental role effectively. Sure Start Children's Centre guidance, for example, is now clear about the need to develop effective systems to gather information about fathers in all the families with whom they are in contact, and gives tips on how this might be achieved. A parent link or community outreach worker with a specific remit to engage with fathers can be very effective, but we want all 10 Every Parent Matters staff in services for pre-school children to engage proactively with fathers. Having more men in the workforce should lead to greater success in getting dads involved, and we recently launched a new PR campaign, where one of the main issues is to attract men into the early years and childcare sector.

(Every Parent Matters, p.10-11)

Engaging fathers in Sure Start Children’s Centres
3.27 It can be a challenge to involve fathers and other male carers in Sure Start Children's Centre services. Some fathers are not accustomed to using many of the services available; may be unaware of them or think they are not for them;and may lack confidence in coming forward. Irrespective of the degree of involvement they have in the care of their children, fathers should be offered routinely the support and opportunities they need to play their parental role effectively.

3.28 Sure Start Children’s Centres need to develop effective systems to gather information about fathers in all the families with whom they are in contact. A parent link or community outreach
worker with a specific remit to engage with fathers can be very effective, but we want all staff to engage pro-actively with fathers at initial contact. The Sure Start Children's Centre Planning and
Performance Management guidance makes this clear, and gives tips on how this might be achieved.

3.29 Fathers generally appreciate some services which are designed specifically for men. These are often services for fathers with their children, but may also include services where they can meet other dads, engage in activities together, and talk about their lives as fathers. Many fathers do not feel they are expert parents and an all-male environment can enable them to feel more confident about interacting with their child and seeking advice. Traditional male interests can sometimes provide the basis for engaging with fathers, in addition to the opportunity for fathers to spend time with their children; access 'peer support'; one-to-one information; or advice and advocacy from a skilled worker. For example, some Sure Start Children's Centres run sessions where dads and their children work together on an allotment, visit sports facilities or take part in music or photography projects. In later years, some schools run "bring your dad to school" days. It is important that fathers have a part in planning services, and are consulted about the services they want.

(Every Parent Matters, p.15-16)

To download the full report visit www.teachernet.gov.uk/