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Fathers Health Initiatives Team, Leeds -
Working with School-Age.

The Health Initiatives Team's at Education Leeds works city-wide with schools and other agencies to ensure that school-age parents (mothers and fathers) are able to access appropriate education, ensuring that educational achievement is not disadvantaged by pregnancy or parenthood. In 2004, the Team developed the post of Specialist Learning Mentor for Teenage Fatherhood with funding from Connexions, Sure Start (Plus), and Education Leeds. The role involves working with school-age fathers and the male teenage partners of school-age mothers to identify both the support needs of teenage fathers, and how agencies in Leeds can alter their practice to become more 'young father-friendly'. Together with the Childcare Coordinator, the Mentor started running a weekly after school group (FACT; Fathers and Children Together), where school-age young fathers and fathers-to-be can come together for some mutual support and have access to an experienced childcare specialist.

FACT (Fathers And Children Together)

With 3 dedicated workers (one specialist learning mentor and two nursery nurses), FACT is based around social issues such as housing, health issues, and parenting. The group offers support through peers and brings in guest speakers from other agencies to offer specialist knowledge on a variety of topics (e.g. ranging from NHS speakers such as a teenage pregnancy midwife and sexual health worker, to the local council providing talks on car seat safety). For those in contact, young fathers are encouraged to bring along their babies as it is recognised as often being the only time they get to spend with their babies on a one-to-one basis without anyone interfering. For those who can't bring their baby to the group, other fathers in the group 'share' their babies so all members can practice their parenting skills and join in the activities.

Occasional (low cost) day trips are offered (e.g. visits to the library, local parks, and to see Santa) and locations chosen deliberately to ensure that they are in very public places in order to both raise the profile of teenage fathers, increase the young father's confidence about being a father in public, and challenge negative perceptions regarding parenting competence of young fathers. In 2003-4, approximately 14 school-age fathers accessed the service rising to 24 during 2005/6.

Learning Points:

'Ticking boxes doesn't work, because it doesn't challenge the culture surrounding young fathers work . you've got to be passionate about what you do and be able to challenge other professionals' views...'

• The immediate impact of appointing a Specialist Learning Mentor for Teenage Fatherhood was that many young fathers and young fathers-to-be engaged with the support offered by Education Leeds much more than before, and felt able to be much more open about their support needs. Moreover, referrals from schools and other agencies have increased, and many young mothers have expressed keen interest in introducing their partner to the Specialist Learning Mentor.
• Experience has shown that work with young fathers does not need to cost a great deal of money. Large expensive celebration type events are unsustainable and do not lead to increased engagement. Guest speakers (e.g. for FACT, and SRE programmes in schools) are often willing to speak for free as part of their professional developmental role.
• Workers need to be comfortable in challenging attitudes and beliefs about school-age fathers. For example, why do you think he shouldn't play a fathering role, why is he an undesirable influence on this child?
• Some specific learning from FACT has revealed that that running the group at the same time (directly after-school) and on the same day every week is important as it provides a sense of continuity and stability for young fathers who may have rather chaotic lifestyles. Providing a father-friendly environment where the group is held (e.g. displaying photos of the young fathers and their babies themselves) is easy to create and helps young men feel that the service is for them.
• Although the after-school group FACT is essentially a pilot activity that is a part of the broader work of Education Leeds in terms of its contribution to the local Teenage Pregnancy partnership, it does provide a positive example of what a forward thinking agency and effective partnership can do.

Contacts:

John May (Specialist Learning Mentor for Teenage Fatherhood)
Jenny Midwinter (Sexual Health Initiatives Coordinator)
Tel: +44(0)113 395 1215

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