The Expectant Fathers Programme is one of the first (and presently the only expectant fathers) course to be assessed for the National Academy for Parenting Practitioner’s commissioning toolkit and has been piloted and delivered through hospitals, Sure starts and Children’s Centres such as Kings College, St Thomas’, Queen Elizabeth’s, Mayday and Lewisham hospitals. This programme has been developed and piloted through the Parenting Fund.

For more information on the Toolkit follow the link www.commissioningtoolkit.org/ProgrammeSummary.aspx

The use of a fully evaluated and fully piloted expectant fathers course is one of a number of ways in which children’s services can work towards meeting key Government policy objectives about engaging with fathers, including those in Every Parent Matters, the Teenage Pregnancy Strategy; the National Service Framework for Children, Young People and Maternity Services; and the Children’s Centre Practice and Performance Management Guidance. It also helps meet statutory obligations about equal treatment of men and women in public services (the Equality Act 2006).

Programme Aims

To build new fathers confidence generally, but particularly in terms of their role, their skills, and their ability to support their partner and baby. Increase information, so that new fathers engage more actively in the pregnancy and understand that they have an important role to play. To support fathers to learn the practical skills they will need with their babies, to enable them to be competent and confident fathers. Practical skills (learning how to hold, feed, bath, change and bond with baby). Why fathers are important and what kind of father do you want to be?  Impact on relationships (partner / work / mates) Myths and Facts (based on research on mens learning), the birth and how to support your partner and child. Issues raised by the expectant fathers (which often include 'when can we have sex', baby crying and sleeping, partners "mood swings" and fathers and partners mothers).

Why the course is needed

• The changing work place means that there are more women in the workplace and also more men caring for children.
• New fathers are often involved and interested, and in turn receptive to leaning about their new role.
• Fathers are often too reliant on a partner or family for information and are often not well prepared for the birth or what follows.
• Fathers' levels of confidence and information about child care are important factors in how involved new fathers are with their babies.
• The more involved fathers are at the beginning of their children’s lives, the more they are likely to remain involved in spite of family break up or whether they are living with their children.

Benefits of fathers' involvement

Numerous studies have shown that when men assume active roles in raising their children, they play a critical part in enhancing and facilitating child growth and development (see Pleck & Masciadrelli, 2004 for a review). Recent research has suggested that both the quantity and quality of father-child interactions during the early childhood years can lead to more positive social developments (Frosch, Cox and Goldman, 2001), fewer behavioural problems (Jaffee, Moffitt, Caspi & Taylor, 2003), greater emotional self regulation (Roggman, Boyce, Cook, Christiansen & Jones, 2004), increased language development (Magill-Evans & Harrison, 2001) and greater cognitive functioning (Gauvain, Fagot, Lee & Kavanagh, 2002) for young children.

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