Our conference Engaging with fathers raises new insights about Baby P. In his speech to our national conference on fatherhood, taking place this Thursday, Fatherhood Institute chief executive Rob Williams will call on the government to take the lead in urging social workers to boost contact with fathers and male figures close to children, to avoid tragedies such as that of Baby Peter.

Read more about his ideas in this week’s lead story in Children and Young People Now.

The conference will also feature an address by children and families minister Tim Loughton – who will present the first ever Dads Included Award, to recognise outstanding practice in working with fathers and their families.

And there will be six vibrant Ten-minute Taster Presentations from experts in the field:

• Islington Children’s Social Care – Gavin Swann, head of Children in Need: A unique approach to embedding Father-Inclusivity in Children in Need processes
• St Michaels Fellowship in London – The award-winning project who are engaging teenage fathers and mothers as social entrepreneurs and volunteers and more
• Liverpool HTGC: Engaging young fathers ante-natally and developing the capacity of young men as fathers.
• Stag Lane Primary School in Harrow with Campaign for Learning: Using creative projects to engage fathers in schools and family learning (Presentation with fathers and children)
• Dr Mark Osborn, based in Norfolk, talking about embedding father-inclusive thinking in CAF to support vulnerable young fathers and mothers
• The Fatherhood Institute with Portsmouth Local Authority : The first LA to undertake the Dads Included Test across their service.

Look out for a write-up of the conference on this website next week.