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Abstract
Fathers are particularly difficult to recruit to voluntary parenting programmes, despite the advantages of such programmes for confidence and skills in parenting and associated improvements in child behaviour. The apparent reluctance of fathers to engage in parenting services is recognised as a problem by health and social care practitioners, and the Department of Health identifies the engagement of fathers as a key service target.
This review gathers information on barriers to fathers' engagement with parenting support services and identifies best practice for recruitment. It draws on published academic literature, government and community organisation reports and empirical data collection through interviews with parenting experts (n=9) and focus groups and questionnaires with fathers (n=29).
The barriers identified were lack of awareness, work commitments, female-orientated services, lack of organisational support and concerns over programme content Aspects of best practice included actively promoting services to fathers rather than parents, offering alternative forms of provision, prioritising fathers within organisations and taking different cultural and ethnic perspectives into account Achieving greater engagement of fathers in parenting support programmes requires a greater understanding of the perspectives of fathers.
Key words
Fathers, recruitment, community, barriers, best practice, parenting programmes
Community Practitioner, 2009; 82(4): 28-31.
Introduction
Fathers' involvement in parenting has many benefits to children, including higher academic achievement,1 child self-esteem, interpersonal competence, enhanced development2 and happiness.3 Research also shows that active paternal engagement impacts positively on children's behaviour,4 sleeping patterns,5 mental health6 and later psychological wellbeing.7
Parenting programmes can support fathers to develop skills and confidence to engage more actively with their children. In addition to developing specific parenting skills, such programmes have been shown to benefit family wellbeing through increasing parents' self-esteem8 and satisfaction with spouse2 and family life.9
However, fathers are difficult to recruit to voluntary parenting programmes, and this may weaken the efforts of programmes requiring the conjoint approach by parents with their children. The Department of Health has recognised service providers' difficulty in engaging fathers, with the National Service Framework (NSF) for children10 specifying the following target for parental skill development: 'Parents or carers are enabled to receive the information, services and support that will help them to care for their children and equip them with the skills they need to ensure that their children have optimum...