Supporting Young Fathers Network
Welcome to TSA’s young fathers network microsite. It has been created to help people working with young fathers. See About this Microsite for more information.
This month's new case study:
Lads2Dads and Right From The Start: promising practice from Northern Ireland and Wales
Lads2Dads
Lads2Dads is an accredited programme (Open College Network Entry Level 3) offering support, information and advice to young fathers aged 16-25 in North and West Belfast. Funded by the North and West Belfast Health Action Zone, the course is run by the registered charity Opportunity Youth over a 12 week period (7-8.30pm) and is open to biological young fathers, step-(young)fathers, young fathers-to-be and young men in father figure roles. Amongst other things, the Lads2dads programme explores a range of different aspects of fatherhood including: engaging with children, rights and the law, and relationships. The programme also explores the range of support available to young fathers, and provides an opportunity for young fathers to meet and network with other young men in similar situations. Childcare facilities for those attending are not available as most of the young fathers who attend the course have either limited or no contact with their child(ren). Those that are in contact with their partner report not requiring childcare facilities in order to attend the course.
'Building relationships for the future has been an important achievement. The course helps us to engage further with young fathers and to develop their awareness and understanding of their new responsibilities as a young father.'
Facilitated by Cieran McAule (peer educator) since February 2008, Lads2dads has engaged with a total of 15 young fathers in its first year with ages ranging between 16 and 23 years. Of the 15 who have attended the course so far, 10 have been awarded with OCN (Open College Network) credits and a further three are currently working towards gaining certification. Overall, the programme aims to enable 45 young fathers to complete the course, 40 of whom are expected to go on to achieve OCN certification. Funding is currently limited to reaching this 45 target at which point further funding will be required if the programme is to continue.
Although the Lads2dads programme has achieved some important successes so far, Cieran McAule reports that reaching and engaging with young fathers to attend and complete the course and certification remains an ongoing challenge:
'Having 15 young men complete the course so far has been a good achievement in our view with around 4-5 young fathers attending each week – but it is still a constant battle to reach young fathers and to encourage them to keep attending once they do actually start the course.'
Contact:
Cieran McAuley
Tel: 028 9043 5810
Email:cieran@opportunity-youth.org
Website:www.opportunity-youth.org
If you have any questions or comments about this casestudy, please post them on the forum here.
Right From The Start
Right From The Start is a registered charity based in Aberbargoed Caerphilly, South Wales which aims to ensure that children between the ages of 0 and 13yrs have the opportunity to have the best start in life by working with families throughout Caerphilly on issues such as parenting, play, nutrition, and behaviour management.
Support specifically for fathers has been available since November 2007 and the current fathers’ worker (John Ball) has been in post since May 2008. Services are aimed at those fathers who are looking for help and support with education and employment prospects, practical advice, guidance, and support on issues such as training, benefits, housing, health, education and employment, adjusting to their new role, as well as personal problems.
Although open to fathers and fathers-to-be across the age range (including grandfathers, male carers, and others in father figure roles), some teenage young fathers do access the service. At the time of writing (February, 2009), two young fathers (both 16yrs) are attending having been referred via the local Youth Offending Team. All fathers are able to access a range of (mostly) individual support including individual basic skills training, confidence building, sport and leisure activities, and confidential one-to-one drop in sessions. In addition, a language and play group session allows (young) fathers to meet other fathers, spend time with their child(ren) whilst having fun, sing songs, and read books.
Since May 2008, the father’s worker as engaged with a total of 29 fathers, 5 of whom are young fathers. Some important achievements so far have been four fathers (aged between 23-30 years) going back into further education at nearby Ystrad Mynach College, and six fathers (aged between 23-53 years) into vocational training for employment as teaching assistants run by Trinity Fields School in Hengoed (Caerphilly). In addition, two fathers (aged 27 years) currently run allotments with a local school on a voluntary basis for as part a Healthy Living Project.
Contact:
John Ball
Tel: 01443 879426
Email:John.ball5@btconnect.com
Website:www.rfts.org.uk
If you have any questions or comments about this casestudy, please post them on the forum here.