Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-jn8rn Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-27T01:15:46.787Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Building Fathering Competencies Through a Universal, Soft-Entry, Early Intervention and Prevention Service

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 October 2017

Kym Macfarlane ,
Amy Hayes ,
Ali Lakhani  and
Glenn Hodgson
Kym Macfarlane*
Affiliation:
School of Human Services and Social Work, Griffith University Menzies Health Institute, Queensland, Australia The Salvation Army/Griffith University Knowledge Partnership, Logan Campus, University Drive, Meadowbrook, Queensland, Australia
Amy Hayes
Affiliation:
School of Human Services and Social Work, Griffith University Alumni, Logan, Australia
Ali Lakhani
Affiliation:
School of Human Services and Social Work, Griffith University Menzies Health Institute, Queensland, Australia
Glenn Hodgson
Affiliation:
The Salvation Army Australian Eastern Territory, Communities for Children, Logan, Australia
*
address for correspondence: Kym Macfarlane, Associate Professor, School of Human Services and Social Work, Griffith University Menzies Health Institute, Queensland. E-mail: [email protected]
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

There is sparse research on playgroups for fathers, therefore, the benefits of such programmes are difficult to discern. However, there is much research on the positive developmental outcomes children experience with involved fathers (Appl, Brown, & Stone, 2008; Evans, Harrison, Rempel, & Slater, 2006; Green, 2003; Rosenberg & Wilcox, 2006). This research focused on a Dad's playgroup run as part of the Communities for Children Logan Project in south-east Queensland, Australia. The research found that the fathers gained positive results as being a part of the playgroup, including improved family functioning, a feeling of belonging to a community in which advice was freely available, improved relationships with their child/children and feelings that this programme met the unique needs of fathers when others in the community have not. These needs were met through the play environment, scheduling, staffing and support networks.

Keywords

Dad's playgroupsfather's playgroupsfather servicesfamily dynamicsrelationshipssupport services
Type
Articles
Information
Children Australia , Volume 42 , Issue 4 , December 2017 , pp. 248 - 255
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s) 2017 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Anderson, S., Aller, T., Piercy, K., & Roggman, L. (2014). ‘Helping us find our own selves’: Exploring father-role construction and early childhood programme engagement. Early Child Development and Care, 185 (3), 360–376. doi: 10.1080/03004430.2014.924112.Google Scholar
Appl, D., Brown, S., & Stone, M. (2008). A father's interactions with his toddler: Personal and professional lessons for early childhood educators. Early Childhood Education Journal, 36 (1), 127–134. doi: 0.1007/s10643-008-0263-2.Google Scholar
Brown, G., Schoppe-Sullivan, S., Mangelsdorf, S., & Neff, C. (2010). Observed and reported supportive coparenting as predictors of infant–mother and infant–father attachment security. Early Child Development and Care, 180 (1–2), 121–137. doi: 10.1080/03004430903415015.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Coyl, D. D., Newland, L. A., & Freeman, H. (2008). Predicting preschoolers’ attachment security from parenting behaviours, parents’ attachment relationships and their use of social support. Early Child Development and Care, 180 (4), 499–512. doi: 10.1080/03004430802090463.Google Scholar
Davies, R., & Dart, J. (2005). The ‘most significant change’ (MSC) technique. A guide to its use. Retrieved from https://www.kepa.fi/tiedostot/most-significant-change-guide.pdf.Google Scholar
Fletcher, R., May, C., St George, J., Morgan, P., & Lubans, G. (2011). Fathers’ perceptions of rough-and-tumble play: Implications for early childhood services. Australasian Journal of Early Childhood, 36 (4), 131–138. Retrieved from http://www.ebscohost.com/australia-new-zealandschools/australia-new-zealand-reference-centre.Google Scholar
Green, S. (2003). Reaching out to fathers: An examination of staff efforts that lead to greater father involvement in early childhood programmes. Early Childhood Research and Practice, 5 (2), 1. Retrieved from http://ecrp.uiuc.edu/v5n2/green.html.Google Scholar
Halle, C., Dowd, T., Fowler, C., Rissel, K., Hennessy, K.., MacNevin, R., & Nelson, M. (2008). Supporting fathers in the transition to parenthood. Contemporary Nurse, 31 (1), 57–70. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19117501.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Honig, A. (2008). Supporting men as fathers, caregivers, and educators. Early Childhood Development and Care, 178 (7–8), 665–687, doi: 10.1080/03004430802352020.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Houghton, L., O'Dwyer, M., Foweather, L., Watson, P., Alford, S., & Knowles, Z. (2014). An impact and feasibility evaluation of a six-week (nine hour) active play intervention on fathers’ engagement with their preschool children: A feasibility study. Early Child Development and Care, 185 (2), 244–266. doi: 10.1080/03004430.2014.919495.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lewis, C., & Lamb, M. (2003). Fathers’ influence on children's development: The evidence from two-parent families. European Journal of Psychology of Education, 18 (2), 211–228. Retrieved from http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2FBF03173485.Google Scholar
Macfarlane, K. (2016). The family place approach: A framework of practice for soft-entry, universally accessible, early intervention and prevention practice. Sydney, Australia: The Salvation Army.Google Scholar
Macfayden, A., Swallow, J., Santacroce, S., & Lambert, H. (2011). Involving fathers in research. Journal of Specialists in Pediatric Nursing, 16 (3), 216–219. doi: 10.1111/j.1744-6155.2011.00287.x.Google Scholar
Magill-Evans, J., Harrison, M. J., Rempel, G., & Slater, L. (2006). Interventions with fathers of young children: Systematic literature review. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 55 (2), 248–264. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2648.2006.03896.x.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
McWayne, C., Downer, J., Campos, R., & Harris, R. (2013). Involvement during early childhood and its association with children's early learning: A meta- Analysis. Early Education and Development, 24 (6), 898–922, doi: 10.1080/10409289.2013.746932.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Oktay, J. (2012). Grounded theory. Oxford, New York: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
Palm, G., & Fagan, J. (2014). Father involvement in early childhood programmes: Review of the literature. Early Child Development and Care, 178 (7-8), 745–759. doi: 10.1080/03004430802352137.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rolfe, S. (2004). Rethinking attachment for early childhood practice: Promoting security, autonomy and resilience in young children. NSW: Allen & Unwin.Google Scholar
Rosenberg, J., & Wilcox, W. B. (2006). The importance of fathers in the healthy development of children. US Department Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Administration on Children, Youth and Families, Children's Bureau, Office of Child Abuse and Neglect. Retrieved from http://muskie.usm.maine.edu/helpkids/telefiles/082808tele/IV-C%20Fatherhood%20Curriculum%204.pdf Google Scholar
Sanders, M., Kirby, J., Tellegen, C., & Day, J. (2014). The triple P-Positive parenting programme: A systematic review and meta-analysis of a multi-level system of parenting support. Clinical Psychology Review, 34 (4), 337–257. doi:10.1016/j.cpr.2014.04.003.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Shannon, J., Tamis-LeMonda, C., London, K., & Cabrera, N. (2009). Beyond rough and tumble: Low-income fathers' interactions and children's cognitive development at 24 months. Parenting: Science and Practice, 2 (2), 77–104. doi:10.1207/S15327922PAR0202_01.Google Scholar
Silverman, D. (2006). Interpreting qualitative data (3rd ed.). London: Sage Publications.Google Scholar
Strauss, A., & Corbin, J. (1994). Grounded Theory Methodology—An Overview. In Norman, K. D. & Vannaeds, S. L. Y. (Eds.), Handbook of qualitative research (pp. 22–23). Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications.Google Scholar
Turner, R. (2009). How fathers’ style of parenting benefits their children's development. Retrieved from http://www.parentsasteachers.org/images/stories/documents/fatherhood_resources/howfathersstyle_ofparentingbenefits.pdf.Google Scholar
Walker, D., & Myrick, F. (2006). Grounded theory: An exploration of process and procedure. Qualitative Health Research, 16 (4), 547–559. doi:10.1177/1049732305285972 Google Scholar
Wood, L., & Lambin, E. (2013). How fathers and father figures can shape child health and wellbeing. Retrieved from www.man.org.au/.../Fathers%20and%20Children%20UWA%202013.pdf.Google Scholar