Leading Children’s Charity Puts Male Inclusion in the Limelight

Professionals working in children’s services across the North of England have been sharing how to successfully include and involve family men in their child’s education at a series of major conferences. The Fathers Plus ‘Including Men in Children’s Learning’ and ‘Including Men in Schools’ conferences, which took place in County Durham and Manchester respectively, brought together over 200 children’s professionals to share best practice and to hear about the impact of engaging fathers in family services. The day-long events included speakers from across the country with experience of making strategic and operational changes within schools and across local authorities which have led to more effectively involvement of family men. Presentations and skill building sessions covered learning from projects which involve men in their children’s schools and in their transitions to school, parental engagement, learning through play and how to engage more men in primary teaching. Both conferences were so successful that a third is now being planned to take place in London in the autumn. Delegates included key decision-makers from a number of different Children’s Services including Headteachers, Parent Governors, Quality and Development Managers and Senior Early Years Workers. Roger Olley, a Sector Specialist for Fathers Work, led discussions at the conferences by focusing on the importance of including men in schools and children’s learning. A number of guest speakers incorporated talks from family men from up and down the country who spoke about their experiences of male inclusion. Alongside Roger Olley, Fathers Plus also gathered an array of speakers, who are leading the way in successfully engaging with family men across the country, to address the conference including: • Mike Turley, Father Work Coordinator at North West Fathers • Carol Potter, Senior Lecturer, Childhood and Early Years at Leeds Metropolitan University • Jane Edwards, Parental Involvement Officer at Rochdale Metropolitan Borough Council • Sharon Marett-Gregory, Cluster Manager at Coulsdon & Woodcote Extended Schools Team • Tracy Collins, Acting Early Years Development Manager at Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council • Tess Hudson, Fathers Worker, Children North East showed the film of the Family Man Schools Outreach programme which has involved over 300 fathers and male carers in their children's schooling for the first time. David Van der Velde, Service Manager at Fathers Plus, said: “Father figures are extremely important to children and young people as they grow. Research has proven that where fathers and men are involved in children’s lives and learning those children tend to achieve more and grow up safer and healthier. “Through the conferences we aim to give practitioners the necessary skills, tools and inspiration needed to engage men in children’s learning. We’ve had an outstanding response to both the events and we are now looking to host future conferences in other areas of the country in order to allow every region to offer appropriate services and representation for family men.” The Fathers Plus ‘Including Men in Children’s Learning’ and ‘Including Men in Schools’ conferences were organised in partnership with Greater Manchester Challenge, Sure Start County Durham, Leeds Metropolitan University, Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council, Renaissance North East, Croydon Council, North West Fathers Consultancy and Coulsdon & Woodcote Extended Schools Team. Fathers Plus is one of the leading practice-based father work organisations, which works with agencies and organisations to support the inclusion of fathers and men. For more information about the Including Men in School autumn conference in London please visit www.fathersplus.org

Tags: