Engaging and working effectively with fathers and other men who affect the wellbeing of children and families is now firmly emphasised in policy frameworks as a strategic requirement for all children’s services, and yet working with men often poses real challenges for professionals. Service provision and resources still do not adequately reflect the importance of positively engaging and working with men. Many professionals feel particularly ill-equipped to work with difficult, defensive and sometimes violent men.

Community Care and Fathers Direct are jointly holding this one-day conference in London on 16 October, to examine the challenges and opportunities of working with and engaging men and to highlight examples of good practice. The event will look at important issues such as engaging young fathers, engaging black and minority ethnic men, engaging difficult men and working effectively and safely with men.

Attending this conference is a great opportunity to hear about innovative projects that are successfully engaging and working with men. They will share the secrets to their success, identify the challenges they faced and how they overcame them, and highlight how their work has directly improved the wellbeing of the children in their care.

Who should attend?

• Children and Families Social Workers
• Fostering and Adoption Social Workers
• Sure Start professionals
• Children’s Centres professionals
• Family Support Workers
• Social Workers working with adults
• Child Protection Social Workers and team managers
• Anyone in health, social care, charities or the voluntary sector working with adult men or children

Speakers at the conference will include:

• Tim Loughton MP, Shadow Minister for Children
• Adrienne Burgess, Research Manager, Fathers Direct
• Steve Male and John Street from Dads Do It Too
• Chris Muwanguzi from the boys2MEN Coram Project
• John May, Specialist Learning Mentor for Teenage Fatherhood and Jenny Midwinter, Sexual Health Initiatives Coordinator, Education Leeds
• Carole Dawson from Ferryhill and Chilton Sure Start and Roger Olley, Head of Service, Fatherwork Children North East.

For more details call 0207 347 3575 or visit the conference website.