Dad's Group

Children’s centre and library work together to support and run sessions for dads, increasing attendance at baby and toddler rhyme time and loans of books.

Starting point and evidence of need

Fathers are a hard-to-reach group. There was a session for dads already taking place at the library. The children’s centre coordinator agreed with the library area manager to link with children’s centre staff to offer a joint session to provide opportunities for dads and grandads to play and learn with their under fives and to engage in library and children’s centre services. The library needs to engage dads and increase understanding of the importance of looking at books from a young age. Fathers sometimes attended sessions at the children’s centre and are encouraged to come along to dads sessions, bringing family members for support if they so wish.

Work undertaken

The support worker completed a performance management profile with the library supervisor to specify the aim of the sessions. They agreed to change the date to the second Saturday of each month so as not to clash with other dad-targeted groups in nearby towns. The support worker and outreach worker agreed to work the session alternate months. Each month, library staff contact the children’s centre to agree the topic for the upcoming session. Through promotion, attendance at the session has increased since children’s centre staff began working in partnership. The session was promoted locally using posters and flyers at local shops, health clinic and in the library itself.

One dad who has attended several sessions at the children’s centre with his daughter has attended almost all of the sessions for dads so far. He first attended with support from his wife who is also a regular attendee at the centre. During the first session at the library this father commented: “I have never been in to this library before”, and he enjoyed browsing through the selection of books available at the library throughout the session. The outreach worker gives support during sessions where required and gives lots of praise to fathers and children alike. Families are also encouraged to take out books from the library to enjoy at home.

Outcome

This dad has since attended the session for dads with his daughter but without other family support and has enjoyed social time with other local fathers as well as valuable one to one time with his daughter, reading stories on the comfy cushioned area of the library. Families have been taking books out of the library on loan regularly and coming back to the dads session each month.

Why was it successful?

Attendance continues to be good and a good working relationship has been built between children’s centre staff and library staff due to the success of the dads session and increased attendance at baby and toddler rhyme time. Families are continuing to take books out on loan from the library and promote sessions and services to other local families.

Next steps

Children’s centre staff to continue family consultation to see what else fathers' needs may be and offer services where possible.