About the Fathers program

Fathers come in all shapes and sizes. So does the work with fathers. Our aim is to promote the wellbeing of children from birth onwards by engaging fathers and father-figures in the lives of children. Over the last decade we have developed programs for fathers and for services wishing to support families. We have worked with staff in antenatal, postnatal, childcare, Indigenous, health and school services and with dads from all backgrounds. Our research on fathers and families has also expanded.

All programs and projects at the Family Action Centre strive to include fathers in their planning and delivery. To find out more about how to include fathers so that everyone benefits click on the buttons to the left.

NEW!

Just launched: a new collaborative website between the Family Action Centre and Good Beginnings Australia: Involving Fathers in Early Childhood Services.

The report Brothers Inside: Reflections on fathering workshops with Indigenous prisoners can be downloaded as a PDF (106KB). Filled with information and quotes from the participating dads, this is a must-read publication.

Go now to the Australian Fatherhood Research Network page for news, research and the latest bulletins.

Now available: the Engaging Fathers report to the South Australian Government, Men and Children's Centres: A systematic explanatory review – Improving men’s participation in primary health services in South Australia  (2.3MB). The report considers the research evidence applying to the question: Will the inclusion of fathers in SA children’s centre activities lead to enhanced health and wellbeing for family members?

In October 2008 the Fathers program held the Researching Indigenous Fatherhood Seminar, with Craig Hammond, Brian McCoy and Richard Fletcher. Their presentations are available on the RIFS web page.

The NSW Department of Community Services has developed new practice resources aimed at supporting father-inclusive casework practice with vulnerable families. The Brighter Futures Practice Resource: Including Fathers in Work with Vulnerable Families was developed by DoCS in collaboration with the Fathers program of the FAC. Go to the Brigher Futures website to learn more.