Abstract
While the recent Coalition government committed to some initiatives supporting the role of parents, relationships and the early years, there remains a lack of focus on fathers as a distinct policy area. This is reflected at local government level, as lead professionals for young fathers are rare and data on the number of young fathers in each local area are not routinely collected. Barnardo's was funded by the Department for Education in 2012, as part of the Family Strategic Partnership, to highlight the needs and experiences of young fathers in England, and the joint role of statutory and voluntary services in supporting them (fully reported by Barnardo's in Cundy, 2012). Based on selected case studies drawn from research and a range of practice organisations, this article presents the journeys of five young fathers and their experience of maternity services, children's centres, schools, housing services and the secure estate.
Highlights
In June 2012, Barnardo’s convened a group of leading fathers’ organisations and academics to highlight the needs and experiences of young fathers aged sixteen to twentyfour in England, and the joint role of statutory and voluntary services in supporting them
It makes the case for an integrated approach to supporting young dads, with support from different agencies brokered through a lead professional within each local authority area
Information for prisoners about how to make contact and arrange visits with the mother and their child should include advice on the impact on future relationships and their children’s outcomes of not maintaining contact. These young fathers’ journeys show young men adjusting to the reality of fatherhood at an age when they would otherwise be making critical choices about what to do with their lives as individuals
Summary
In June 2012, Barnardo’s convened a group of leading fathers’ organisations and academics to highlight the needs and experiences of young fathers aged sixteen to twentyfour in England, and the joint role of statutory and voluntary services in supporting them. The family voluntary sector has an important role to play in working with statutory services to raise awareness of young fathers’ needs, and offer referral routes to the additional support that they may require. Maternity services should work with their local children’s centres to offer a paediatric first aid course to all young dads.
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