The Fatherhood Institute today (12 December 2008) welcomes new moves by the Department for Children, Schools and Families to ensure that staff who work with children and young people have the skills and knowledge to equip them to engage with fathers and support father-child relationships.

In its new 2020 Children and Young People’s Workforce Strategy, the DCSF pledged to review the Common Core of Skills and Knowledge so as to include clear guidance on ensuring “people in the workforce…have the skills and capacity to work in partnership with children, young people and their parents, fathers, mothers or carers in ways that will help to secure better outcomes”.

“There is more to be done to ensure the whole workforce understands the importance of engaging fathers and supporting father-child relationships and is equipped with the skills to do so effectively,” the DCSF added, promising that “the revised Common Core will address this, as a basis for relevant occupational standards and professional qualifications to recognise the need to engage and work with both fathers and mothers”.

David Bartlett, Fatherhood Institute National Services Manager, who sat on the Expert Group which advised on the CYP Workforce Strategy, said the new emphasis on skilling up staff would be key to implementing the government’s new policies on fathers and fatherhood:

“This shows the government is serious. We need to have a workforce that’s up to the job of delivering the tougher aspirations around dads that are emerging through the Think Fathers campaign. Some staff are already delivering on this agenda brilliantly, but we need this strategy to bring everyone else up to speed. We will be working with DCSF on this and other aspects of their fatherhood strategy, to make sure it gets implemented.”

For more information contact David Bartlett on 01422 847825 or via d.bartlett@fatherhoodinstitute.org.