21st October 2024

Father Inclusion in the Family Hubs

Ruth Naughton-Doe

The Perinatal Loneliness Project was privileged to collaborate with Following Young Fathers Further at an incredible event held on October 8th exploring father inclusion in the Family Hubs. We found that fathers often felt excluded by services and this contributed to their loneliness. Professor Anna Tarrant from the University of Lincoln shared: “The Family Hubs have reinvigorated attention to father-inclusive practice, services designs and co-production, all also key foci of Following Young Fathers Further, my 7 year research programme exploring the parenting journeys and support needs of young dads, aged 25 and under. I shared the point that we do have a solid evidence base about ‘what works’ and don’t need to reinvent the wheel, yet systemic barriers persist. These are interpersonal, cultural and organisational. Dads want to be there for their children and partners and may require support themselves. Relationships of trust are key to engagements with dads, which means meeting them where they are at and creating a sense of belonging within services as part of a process of ‘Getting, Keeping and Engaging’ them over time. Please see below for the amazing live scribe summary of the day.