We need society to value fathers, says children’s minister

Aileen Campbell, minister for children and young people, said yesterday many fathers feel unwelcome by schools and doctors’ surgeries.

She says she wants the phrase “working dads” to be as common as “working mums”.

In the run-up to a new national parenting strategy being unveiled in the autumn, Ms Campbell said fathers are often “cut out of the picture”.

She said: “Dads being fully involved in their children’s lives has all sorts of positive benefits for the wider family and community. However, we need to go further to ensure that as a society we truly value and support dads in the role that they play.

She continued: “As we celebrate Father’s Day, it’s a good time to reflect on what all this means for dads, because sometimes when we talk about parents, we tend to mean mums, and cut dads out of the picture. How does it feel to be a father in Scotland today?

“Many will ponder how different their experience is to that of their own fathers. Dads today tend to be a lot more hands on and there is a greater expectation they will be more actively involved in all aspects of their children’s lives.

“We will know we’re making progress here when the phrase ‘working dads’ becomes as common as ‘working mums’.”