Aileen Campbell: Time to recognise the importance of fathers

YESTERDAY, in my role as Scotland’s Children’s Minister, I had the pleasure of opening a new playgroup in Edinburgh. This though, is a playgroup with a slight difference. A playgroup primarily for dads and their wee ones.

Launched just over a year ago in the Capital, Dads Rock is the brainchild of David Marshall and Thomas Lynch, two fathers who, being aware of how little there was locally for dads and their kids, took action. They created a fun space where dads could come together, spend time with their sons and daughters, share experiences and basically talk to other ­fathers about the daily joys and frequent challenges of being a dad. As a result, Dads Rock was born and they haven’t looked back.

It’s heartening to see the formation and growth of groups like this, given the huge importance of fathers in the lives of Scotland’s children. Earlier this month, the Scottish Government launched Scotland’s first National Parenting Strategy to help support parents and carers. Based on widespread engagement with different parents, carers and parenting organisations, the strategy sets out a range of commitments designed to value and empower parents and also let them know that help is at hand if they need it.

Dads, of course, are a crucial part of this, and around 500 of them helped ­inform the consultation around the eventual strategy.

It was apparent from talking to dads as we worked on the strategy that a common theme was emerging: most wanted more involvement in their children’s lives, but sometimes found areas like public ­services – including some schools and GPs – often inadvertently made them feel unwelcome or excluded.

This chimes with the fact that often when we talk about parents or carers, we tend to mean mums, and – perhaps unintentionally – sometimes forget all about dads.

However, if we’re to truly achieve our ambition of making Scotland the best place for children to grow up, this must change.

Dads these days increasingly tend to be a lot more “hands-on” in all aspects of their children’s lives. My own personal ­experience reflects this, given that I’m lucky enough to enjoy huge support from my own husband when it comes to caring for and raising our wee one.

We know dads have a significant influence on their children’s development from the early years through school and into adulthood, and that dads playing a part in their kids’ lives can have all sorts of positive benefits for the family and wider community. In short, it’s crucial as a society, that we truly value and support dads in the hugely important role that they have.

The National Parenting Strategy has promised to ensure that our services such as health, social work, education and the third sector make dads feel welcome and included.

But it’s not just about services. The strategy also considers how employers can do their bit by encouraging dads to balance work and parenthood. We’ll know we’re making progress here when the phrase “working dads,” is one day as ­common as that of “working mums”.

Through existing funding for organisations like Men in Childcare, we’re acting to redress the gender imbalance and raise awareness of the need for more men working across our early years sector. We’re also funding a fathers’ project by Children In Scotland to promote ways in which our public bodies and services can ensure more equal treatment of dads and male carers when it comes to parenting responsibility.

Elsewhere, we’re investing in projects such as Families Need Fathers to run a programme offering information and ­advice to dads who may be facing contact issues after separating from the mother of their children. We also plan to convene a fathers’ round-table which will meet twice a year and act as an advisory body on ­national policy and ensure fathers are properly included in the implementation of the National Parenting Strategy.

If we’re serious about improving the life chances of our children and young people, we must make sure all parents – dads included – get the support they need, when they need it, to do the best for their ­children. «

» Aileen Campbell MSP is Minister for Children and Young People