Welcome to the website of The Fathering Project
The Fathering Project is a University-based non-profit team of professionals whose aim is to help fathers realize how important they are in a child’s life and to give them advice on how to encourage their children.
Their work is also aimed at father figures such as grandfathers, step fathers, uncles, mentors, youth leaders, teachers, pastors and coaches, knowing that many children do not have much father contact at all.
This work was triggered by statistics that show that:
- whilst mothers are usually involved in children’s lives, education and health matters, many fathers are not as involved as they could be
- this father-absence has a major impact on education (eg. on attitude to school, truancy and bullying), health (more drug addiction, depression, cigarette smoking) and crime.
- the cost of this problem to the Australian community is estimated to be over $12 billion per year, so this intervention could save many millions of dollars each year.
The Fathering Project team is co-led by Professor Bruce Robinson, a senior academic physician and author of “Fathering from the Fast Lane” and Professor Donna Cross, who is head of the Child Health Promotion Research Centre fromEdith Cowan University and has conducted primary prevention and school-based intervention research throughout the USA as well as Canada, Russia, Estonia, Japan and Israel.
The Fathering Project has produced a moving 21 minute DVD, entitled 'What Kids Really Need from their Dads' aimed at improving children’s education and health by providing ideas for fathers and father figures via schools [and also workplaces and commuinty groups] in WA.
It has also produced a booklet, The Blue Book of Tips for Fathers and Father Figures, to accompany the DVD with the intention that every man who views the DVD will go away with the book of tips to remind him of things he could do.
Some recommendations:
This dynamic DVD and program will provide parents and teachers with an outstanding resource to assist and encourage fathers to positively engage in their children’s lives. The DVD has relevance to all parents and caregivers.
Colin Pettit, President, Primary Principals Association of WA
The positive and affirming messages of the Fathering Project will enrich the lives of everyone who engages with them.....and they are just as important for teachers and their families as they are for the parents of our students.
Alison Woodman, President, Western Australian Secondary School Executives Association
This DVD gives very simple and very important advice that is useful for all fathers. If they follow this advice it should make a big impact on the health and wellbeing of Australian children. It’s very well done. Excellent.
Professor Peter le Souef, Professor of Paediatrics, Princess Margaret Hospital for Children.
This DVD is brilliant and represents a strategic way for schools to encourage dads to be more involved in their childrens’ education. Teachers and principals today need advocates in the community, particularly from among dads.
Dr Peter Prout, Lecturer in Education, Edith Cowan University & former teacher/principal
I would like to encourage Principals to take and use these resources and provide opportunities for every father in their school to watch the DVD and to have access to the booklet. This is a great opportunity to make a difference in the lives of many of the families in their schools.
This Fathering DVD contains relevant and accessible materials which fathers can use in small groups or at home by themselves.
The Fathering booklet provides a simple ongoing tool for Fathers to provide practical ideas for use with their children.
Stephen Larkin YouthCARE Area Chaplain
My father died when he was the age that I am now. Nothing could more powerfully motivate me as a father. This DVD is full of honest, real- life advice and practical encouragement to help you do your best at being a Dad. I gladly recommend it.
Kanishka Raffel, Lawyer and Pastor.
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