BC Council for Families

As more fathers take a bigger role in caring for young children, the need for programs and services to support them increases. Traditionally, men have been reluctant to ask for help or support; they may feel it makes them look incompetent, unable to take care of their family, or... But the reality is that all parents need support, and dads need and deserve services that encourage and help them to be the best parent they can be.

Some strategies to make your agency more father friendly:

• Promote your parenting program as a workshop, toolbox, or course – versus a support group, which tends to appeal less to fathers.
• Get moms on your side – they will often be the one to motivate their partner to attend a program, and their support is essential.
• Survey fathers to find out what they would like in a program – information, activities, discussion, etc?
• Go out into the community to recruit dads – put up posters at community centres, hardware stores, or other places where your fathers spend time.

The Father Involvement Network of BC (FIN-BC) offers a range of training and support options, from short workshops at conferences to full two-day trainings for agencies and communities. FIN-BC can help you learn more about what fathers need, how to reach them and how to run programs  that successfully include fathers.