Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-fbnjt Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-16T21:17:49.714Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Just Call Me Dad: Health and Social Benefits to Fathers and their Children

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 February 2014

Joseph Fleming ,
Andrew King  and
Tara Hunt
Joseph Fleming*
Affiliation:
Deakin University
Andrew King
Affiliation:
Groupwork Solutions
Tara Hunt
Affiliation:
University of Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia
*
addresses for correspondence: Dr Joseph Fleming, Deakin University, Princes Highway, Warrnambool, Victoria 3280, Australia. E-mail: [email protected]
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

In the past 20 years, social change and expectations for both maternal and paternal responsibilities have highlighted the need for services for families to better understand the role of a father in family relationships. In Australia, as well as internationally, there have been many contested understandings about what constitutes ‘good fathering’ in research, social media and in the political sphere. More specifically, there has also been an emerging trend to understand the challenging task of recruiting and maintaining men's involvement in child and family services programmes, particularly those fathers who are deemed a risk to children and mothers, violent or have been separated from their children. That many child and family/welfare services have exercised dedicated effort to work with fathers is still a relatively recent phenomenon, and has only emerged following criticism that services have been too geared towards working only with mothers. Despite this increasing interest, there is still ongoing need for more research to be undertaken in Australia. An important area of focus is the views of professionals about their perception and engagement of fathers, particularly the views of fathers who are described as being absent from family-based services. The purpose of this article is to report briefly on a study undertaken to examine how child and family welfare workers engage fathers in their work. First, this paper will describe some of the social and health benefits to fathers and their children, focusing on the key role of attachment through play. Research into effective service delivery involving fathers will then be presented, concluding with key practice factors necessary for fathers to be involved in family life.

Keywords

fathersparentingfamily support serviceschildren
Type
Articles
Information
Children Australia , Volume 39 , Issue 1 , March 2014 , pp. 34 - 41
Copyright
Copyright © The Authors 2014 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Allen, S., & Daly, K. (2007). The effects of father involvement: An updated research. Ontario, Canada: Centre for Families, Work, and Wellbeing, University of Guelph.Google Scholar
Berk, L. E. (2006). Emotional development. In Berk, L. (ed.) Child development (7th ed., pp. 428–429). Boston: Pearson Publishing.Google Scholar
Bogels, S., & Phares, V. (2008). Fathers’ role in the etiology, prevention and treatment of child anxiety: A review and new model. Clinical Psychology Review, 28 (4), 539–558.Google Scholar
Bowlby, J. (1988). A secure base: Clinical applications of attachment theory. London: Routledge.Google Scholar
Burgess, A. (2009). Fathers and parenting interventions: What works? Preliminary research findings and their application. London: The Fatherhood Institute.Google Scholar
Collier, S., & Sheldon, S. (2008). Fragmenting fatherhood: A socio-legal study. Oxford: Hart.Google Scholar
Condon, J., Boyce, P., & Corkindale, C. (2004). The first-time fathers study: A prospective study of mental health and wellbeing of men during the transition to parenthood. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 38 (1–2),56–64.Google Scholar
Cosson, B., & Graham, E. (2012). ‘I felt like a third wheel’: Fathers’ stories of exclusion from the ‘parenting team’. Journal of Family Studies, 18 (2), 121–129.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cowan, P., Cowan, C., Pruett, M., Pruett, K., & Wong, J. (2009). Promoting fathers’ engagement with children: Preventive interventions for low-income families. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 71, 663–679.Google Scholar
Daniel, B., & Taylor, J. (2001). Engaging with fathers: Practice issues for health and social care. London: Jessica Kingsley.Google Scholar
Department for Education and Skills (DfES). (2007). Every parent matters. London: The Stationery Office.Google Scholar
Department of Families, Housing Community Services and Indigenous Affairs [FaHCSIA]. (2009). Father inclusive practice guide. Canberra: Commonwealth of Australia. Retrieved from http://www.dss.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/father_inclusive_practice.pdfGoogle Scholar
Doherty, W., Kouneski, E., & Erickson, M. (1998). Responsible fathering: An overview and conceptual framework. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 60 (2), 277–293.Google Scholar
Fagan, J., & Palm, G. (2004). Fathers and early childhood programmes. Clifton Park, New York: Thomson (Delmar Learning).Google Scholar
Ferguson, H., & Gates, P. (2013). Early intervention and holistic, relationship-based practice with fathers: Evidence from the work of the Family Nurse Partnership. Child and Family Social Work Journal, 1–10 (published online). DOI: 10.1111/cfs.12059.Google Scholar
Fleming, J. (2010). The absence of fathers in child and family welfare practice. PhD Thesis, Monash University, Victoria, Australia. Retrieved from http://arrow.monash.edu.au/hdl/1959.1/523136Google Scholar
Fletcher, R. (2011). The dad factor: How the father–baby bond helps a child for life. Warriewood, New South Wales: Finch Publishing.Google Scholar
Fletcher, R., & Silberberg, S. (2006). Involvement of fathers in primary school activities. Australian Journal of Education, 50, 29–39.Google Scholar
Garfield, C., & Issaco, A. (2006). Fathers and the child well visit. Pediatrics, 117 (4), 637–645.Google Scholar
King, A. (2000). Working with fathers: The non-deficit perspective. Children Australia, 25 (3), 23–27.Google Scholar
King, A. (2005). The quiet revolution amongst men: Developing the practice of working with men in family relationships. Children Australia, 30 (2), 33–37.Google Scholar
King, L. (2012). Hiding in the pub to cutting the cord? Warwick Knowledge Centre. Retrieved from http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/knowledge/culture/fatherhood.Google Scholar
Lamb, M. E. (1977). Father–infant and mother–infant interaction in the first year of life. Child Development, 48, 167–181.Google Scholar
Lamb, M., & Tamis-LeMonda, C. (2004). The role of the father. In Lamb, M. E. (Ed.), The role of the father in child development (4th ed., pp. 222–271). Hoboken, New Jersey: Wiley.Google Scholar
Newland, L., & Coyl, D. (2010). Fathers’ role as attachment figures: An interview with Sir Richard Bowlby. Retrieved from http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/gecd20Google Scholar
Paquette, D. (2004). Theorizing the father–child relationship: Mechanisms and developmental outcomes. Human Development, 47, 193–219.Google Scholar
Pleck, J., & Masciadrelli, B. (2004). Paternal involvement by U.S. residential fathers: Levels, sources and consequences. In Lamb, M. E. (Ed.), The role of the father in child development (4th ed., pp. 222–271). Hoboken, New Jersey: Wiley.Google Scholar
Pruett, K. (1987). The nurturing father. New York: Warner Books.Google Scholar
Pruett, K. (2000). Father-need. New York: Broadway Books.Google Scholar
Roberts, E. (2012). Fathers play such an important role. Let's not keep mum about dads. The Observer, 23 December. Retrieved from http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/dec/23/fathers-important-roleGoogle Scholar
Robinson, B. (2001). Fathering from the fast lane: Practical ideas for busy dads. Australia: Finch.Google Scholar
Robson, S. (2006). Parent perspectives on services and relationships in two English early years centres. Early Child Development and Care, 176 (5), 443–460.Google Scholar
Scourfield, J. (2003). Gender and child protection. London: Palgrave MacMillan.Google Scholar
Tiedje, L., & Darling-Fisher, C. (2003). Promoting father-friendly healthcare. The American Journal of Maternal/Child Nursing, 28 (6), 350–357.Google Scholar
Walmsley, C., Strega, S., Brown, L., Dominelli, L., & Callahan, M. (2009). More than a playmate, less than a co-parent: Fathers in the Canadian BSW Curriculum. Canadian Social Work Review/Revue canadienne de service social 26 (1), 73–96.Google Scholar