Monthly Archives: January 2016

Year of the Dad 2016

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WHAT IS YEAR OF THE DAD?

A celebration of the difference a great dad can make! A year of celebration, insight and collaboration to promote the importance of fathers in child development and support men to be the dads they want to be. Organised by Fathers Network Scotland in partnership with a range of organisations, it is supported by the Scottish Government and runs until the end of 2016.

WHY DADS?

Welcome to Year of the Dad, celebrating the difference a great dad can make!

Throughout 2016 and beyond, we’re issuing a rallying call to services and employers to support dads, embrace family-friendly, inclusive practice and reflect the importance of fathers in child development.

WHY FOCUS ON DADS?

Because society hasn’t yet caught up with the striking cultural changes that have taken place in the home and workplace over the past fifty years. The old stereotype of married breadwinner and disciplinarian no longer serves us in an age of increasing diversity and gender equality. It’s time to celebrate and support the key contribution fathers make to child development, family and community life.

DIVERSITY OF DADS

Today’s father can be single or married; externally employed or a stay-at home dad; gay or straight. While some biological dads don’t do fathering, other non-biological dads can and do – whether that’s grandfathers, uncles, foster fathers, adoptive fathers or stepfathers. Whoever they are, more is now expected of dads – and the changes are remarkable.

DAD_AND_BABY.pngWHAT HAS CHANGED?

Dads now play a more active role in a child care and domestic life in general.

  • Their involvement in parenting has increased from less than 15 minutes a day in the mid-1970s to three hours a day during the week, with more at the weekend.[link to research]
  • Once seen by services as an after-thought or even a distraction from the real work of supporting mum, dads are now making their presence felt in health centres, schools and what used to be called “mother and toddler groups”.
  • Typically excluded from the birth of their children until the late 1950s, today men rightly expect to be present to support partners from the start of pregnancy, and to welcome their children into the world.
  • Recent legislation – including changes to birth registration, the right to request flexible working and shared parental leave – means forward-thinking organisations no longer assume it will only be mum who takes time off.

WHO BENEFITS?

Children

Research overwhelmingly shows that children are more likely to be smarter, healthier and happier if their dads are positively involved.

Women

Women rightly expect a good dad to be involved in birth plans, child care and decision-making about children; and promoting equality for fathers as parents helps advance equality for women at work.

Dads

Equality at home and flexibility in work means better work-life balance for dads, who overwhelmingly want more involvement in the lives of their children.

Employers

Valuing and supporting dads brings business benefits of increased employee engagement and a healthier work-life balance, which means more motivated workers.

Services

Services for children and families will deliver their best when they involve dads in child development, welfare and protection

Society

Happier and more connected dads, children and families makes a better world for all of us – which is why the Scottish Government has enshrined support for dads in its National Parenting Strategy.

For more detail, check out our resources for families, services and employers.

ACCELERATE THE CHANGE

Despite these changes, most dads still think they currently spend too little time with their children and too much time at work. We also know that children want more involvement from their dads. So Year of the Dad is all about encouraging employers and services to set an example by sharing great practice, signing up as an organisation – and help accelerate the change into a father-friendly, family-friendly, inclusive world.

ACCELERATE THE CHANGE

Despite these changes, most dads still think they currently spend too little time with their children and too much time at work. We also know that children want more involvement from their dads. So Year of the Dad is all about encouraging employers and services to set an example by sharing great practice, signing up as an organisation – and help accelerate the change into a father-friendly, family-friendly, inclusive world.

ARE YOU ON BOARD?

Let’s make this happen – and celebrate the difference a great dad can make.

How to get involved:

SIGN UP AS SUPPORTER OF YEAR OF THE DAD

ADD YOUR DAD-FRIENDLY ORGANISATION

BROWSE RESOURCES

DOWNLOAD A WEB BADGEgirl_and_boy.png

Check out our toolkits for employers, families and services.

FATHERS NETWORK SCOTLAND

Fathers Network Scotland is a young, dynamic and respected charity (charity no. SC041341) with a passion for dads – because the family and society as a whole benefit when fathers are involved in the life of their children. It is the main organiser and originator of Year of the Dad.

DAD.pngOur vision is for a safe and compassionate Scotland where all children, their families and communities are enriched and strengthened through the full and welcome involvement of their fathers.

Our mission is to drive positive cultural change by inspiring organisations, communities and individuals to engage, support and empower men to be the fathers they want to be.

 

 

Free – Year of the Dad Conference 2016

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As part of the first ever Year of the Dad in 2016, Fathers Network Scotland in collaboration with the Centre for Research on Families and Relationships are hosting a conference on Friday 12th February 2016.

The conference aims to be a day of reflection, dialogue and stimulation for academics, policy-makers, diversity and inclusion leaders and practitioners. The day will highlight the positive contribution fathers make to children, families, communities and society as a whole.

After an overview of families and fathers in Britain, there will be four simultaneous streams of conversations: ‘what children need from fathers’, ‘what mothers want from fathers’, ‘what fathers need at work’ and ‘what fathers need in adversity’. The afternoon session will reflect on these streams and their recommendations. This will then feed into Year of the Dad activities in 2016.

There will also be time to relax and have discussions at stands and posters presented by students researching fathers in Scotland along with music and creative contributions from local communities.

I you require accommodation, please make your reservation under

 http://www.edinburghfirst.co.uk/for-accommodation-internal/

 

Outline Agenda

09:00     Registration

09.30     Welcome

David Drysdale (CEO of Fathers Network Scotland)

Aileen Campbell (Minister for Children and Young People)

09.45     Families in Scotland

Lynn Jamieson (Professor of Sociology, Families and Relationships, The University of Edinburgh / Co-Director of CRFR)

10:00     The changing role of fatherhood in Britain – Margaret O’Brien (Director of the Thomas Coram Research Unit, UCL)

10.45     Conversation Streams

What do mothers want from fathers? Chaired by Stuart Valentine (Relationships Scotland)

    • Negotiating the domestic contract – how to make your partner an equal partner – Tina Miller (Professor of Sociology Oxford Brookes)
    • Men can do it – Gideon Burrows (Author and dad)
    • More TBC

What do fathers need at work? Chaired by Sarah Jackson (CEO of Working families)

    • Parental leave in Iceland – how does it work – Ingolfur Gislason (Professor in Sociology at the School of Social Sciences University of Iceland)
    • The Price of Love – Caroline Gatrell (Professor of Management Studies Lancaster University Management School)
    • Employers and new fathers: the role of extra-statutory occupational benefits in enabling shared parenting in the UK – Alison Koslowski (Senior Lecturer in Social Policy University of Edinburgh)

What do children need from fathers? Chaired by Dr. Sarah Morton (Co-Director CRFR)

    • What do children say they want – Colin Morrison (Co-Director Children’s Parliament)
    • Engaging dads in education Preston Pans School case study – Tim Porteus (Sure Start)
    • Gary Clapton (Lecturer in Social Work University of Edinburgh)

What do fathers in adversity need? Chaired by Paul Bradshaw (Director of ScotCEN)

    • In work poverty – Ann Henderson (Assistant Secretary STUC)
    • More TBC

12.45     Lunch

13.45     What’s good for families?

Feedback on discussions from each stream. (Stuart Valentine, Sarah Jackson and Sarah Morton)

14.30     Reply from key notes

(Margaret O’Brien, David Drysdale and Lynn Jamieson)

14:45     Now what? – Sam Pringle (CEO Fathers Network Scotland)

Comments from the audience

15:00     Close 

This is funded by the Scottish Government

WHEN
February 12, 2016 at 9am – 3pm
WHERE
John McIntyre Conference Centre, Pollock Halls, Edinburgh
Pollock Halls
18 Holyrood Park Rd
Edinburgh EH16 5AY
United Kingdom
Google map and directions
CONTACT
Cathy Sexton · cathy@fathersnetworkscotland.org.uk