Father Accessing Services

Widowed dad accesses children’s centre services and learns about other local toddler groups and pre-schools, while increasing his child’s confidence. 

Starting point and evidence of need

Dad attended one of the sessions put on at the library celebrating 75 years of its existence. The outreach worker approached dad and spoke to him about local children’s centres and services. Dad registered with the children’s centre and was encouraged to attend the music makers group. It was clear that his 2-and-a-half-year-old son did not have lots of opportunities to interact with other children by the way he became extremely excited around them.

Work undertaken

Dad and his son attended music makers group the following week. Dad has said that he does not attend any other groups with his son. The outreach worker researched other toddler groups, swimming lessons and musical events for dad to attend as he has no knowledge of what is available to him and his son. Dad also had no knowledge of the process of registering, choosing, or attending a pre-school for the child. The outreach worker collected this information for him and explained the process and benefits that the child will gain if he chooses for him to attend.

The dad will now ask the outreach worker for information he needs for lots of different aspects of the child’s care and developmental needs. Other information and advice given to dad includes how to tackle potty training.

Outcome

The dad has now explained that he has been recently widowed and has sole parental responsibility for the child. He now attends the children’s centre music maker group weekly and other toddler groups advised by the outreach worker on at least two other occasions during the week. He is thinking about visiting a local pre-school to register a place for the child. He intends to register the child for swimming lessons.

The child has clearly benefitted from increased interaction with other children. He is much less excitable and less likely to push other children, which was observed in the past when he was excited to be in the company of other children.

The child now interacts with children’s centre staff and seems to be growing in confidence around other adults and children.

Why was it successful?

This work continues with this family as dad continues to attend our outreach session and hopefully in future will attend the centre. The approach with them has been very gentle and non-intrusive. Dad has been gently encouraged to attend and the benefits for the child have been clear for him to see.