Dads matter hugely to their children. If you have a positive relationship with your dad, you’re likely to do better at school, be happier, have higher self-esteem, and even form better relationships when you’re an adult.

But all too often fathers get forgotten or sidelined, and governments, public services and employers act as if mothers are the only ones who really matter.

We need this to change

We want a society that actively supports children’s relationships with their fathers.

What that means is:

• a parenting leave system that encourages dads as well as mums to become confident, hands-on parents from the start
• employers who understand and support men’s desire to be hands-on dads; and who actively seek to accommodate working parents of both sexes
• maternity, early years, health, schools and other family services who see it as their core business to support positive father-child relationships
• child protection services who engage confidently and effectively with the men in the lives of at-risk children
• when parents do not live together, a cultural, social and legal system that supports joint birth registration and expects both parents to support their children financially and with hands-on care.

With your support we can make this happen. We work hard to keep fatherhood on the agenda – lobbying for change at government level; working with public services, employers and others to help them ‘see’ and respect fathers; and working directly with disadvantaged dads.

How you can help

Donate

Funding for the vital work we do is scarce. So if you can possibly afford to, please join our Supporters’ Club, by making a regular donation of £10 per month or more. To thank you for your ongoing commitment, we’ll send you special bulletins on father-related matters and an exclusive Fatherhood Institute ‘A Great Dad For Every Child’ badge, and you’ll be eligible for free entry to our annual fatherhood lecture. See what your money can achieve.

Join the conversation

Spread the word

Please share our video with your friends and colleagues. Connect with us on Twitter @fatherhoodinst, using the hashtag #greatdads, and on Facebook.

Keep in touch

Whether you’re donating or not, please sign up for our e-newsletters, so we can keep you up to date with our work. By doing so, you show that you care about our cause – and the more people do that, the stronger we become.