Local support for dads: what is there?

All of us feel out of our depth at times, and you may get to the point when you need advice, local support or other parents to talk to. The good news is that there is more of this kind of help available for British dads than ever before.

One reason is that the Gender Equality Duty came into force in April 2007, compelling public authorities to treat men and women equally – meaning that fathers should not be left out of the equation. There are also scores of voluntary organisations aimed at fathers. Some suggestions:

Children's Information Services

The Gender Equality Duty
The Gender Equality Duty came into force in April 2007, compelling public authorities to treat men and women equally – meaning that fathers should not be left out of the equation in any public services for parents.

Every Local Authority has a Children's Information Service, where you should be able to get info on what's on for kids and parents in your local area. You can find your local CIS by calling 0800 234 6346 or through the NACIS website  or the Sure Start Childcare Link website.

• Childcare: what are the options?  

Children’s Centres

The government plans to establish Sure Start Children’s Centres for children under five, in every community by 2010 (by the end of 2007 about 10,000 had been set up). The idea is that parents should have access to integrated services and information. They are specifically committed to making them more father-inclusive. These offer:

• a base for a childminder network
• family health services (doctors, dentists, opticians, pharmacies)
• support for children with special needs
• some centres offer full day childcare (10 hours a day, 5 days a week, 48 weeks a year)

• Choosing a nursery: what you need to know

Playgroups

An easy way to meet other parents and to get your child playing with other children is to join a playgroup. Parents or childminders accompany children for sessions that last two to three hours – anything from one to five days a week. Most are non-profit voluntary organisations - some supported by local councils or government grants.

There's usually a charge of a couple of quid to cover the juice, biscuits and toy purchase. Generally, the parents play with the children, drink tea, chat and then everyone gets into a circle for a sing-song, ending with the hokey-cokey. Despite the mumsy style, most of these groups are keen to attract dads (and, overall, the proportion of dads is steadily increasing).

• Play time: entertaining babies

To find playgroups

To find a suitable playgroup visit the Government's Childcare Link website or contact your local authority. Public libraries and GP surgeries often also list local groups. The BBC has some good links too.

Children’s libraries

Most public libraries run weekly parent-child sessions in their children’s departments. This often involves choosing books, toys and tapes/CDs to borrow, after which everyone sits in a circle and the children’s librarian reads a children’s book, followed by a sing-song. 

• The best children's books with dads in  

Author

Gavin Evans is a father of two daughters - aged 17 and 13 - and lives in North London. 15 years ago he changed gear from being a full-time reporter to full-time parent and part-time journalist. His writing on issues affecting fathers has been published in a wide range of publications including The Guardian, The Independent, Men's Health, Cosmopolitan, The Times and The New Statesman. He has written five books on sport, a chapter on men in Your Pregnancy Bible and is completing his first screenplay. Gavin also regularly posts blogs at www.gavinevans.net.

Your experiences?

What have your experiences with local support services for dads been like? Were they father-friendly? What would you recommend? Use our comments system below to share with other dads.