Hit the Ground Crawling: ante-natal programme for dads

Hit the Ground Crawling is the UK version of a groundbreaking American ante-natal peer support programme for dads-to-be - and the Fatherhood Institute now offers training for Children’s Centres and other children’s services across the UK on how to run it.

What is it?

Hit the Ground Crawling involves groups of expectant fathers learning childcare skills from new dads and their babies. Specially trained Children’s Centre staff, health visitors, midwives etc facilitate the sessions, which are very informal and are designed to provide space for the dads-to-be to discuss their thoughts and concerns with other dads in a relaxed setting; to watch their peers caring for their babies; and to have a go at changing nappies, cuddling, massaging, etc.

The programme is already up-and-running as a pilot in Staffordshire and features in a Radio 4 documentary broadcast on Monday 15 September (to listen to the show click here)

Why use this programme?

Hit the Ground Crawling produces more confident, less-isolated dads….and is a great opportunity to ensure local fathers become familiar and comfortable with the full range of local services.

One dad-to-be in Stafford said: “Well at first I was very nervous and I hold my hands up…I was panicking about fatherhood. But this session has given me EVERY confidence and done me the world of good. I am full of confidence now”.

The Fatherhood Institute developed Hit the Ground Crawling from a similar and hugely popular scheme in the US. It is a response to research about the huge impact fathers have on the wellbeing of mothers and children, and helps local authorities fulfil Government policies about supporting fathers.

We offer a full package of training and ongoing support to Children’s Centres and other ante-natal providers for just £5,000 plus VAT.

A view from the pilot project

Nicola Ellis, community development worker at East Staffordshire Children’s Centre in Burton-on-Trent is a trained Hit the Ground Crawling facilitator (and featured in the Radio 4 documentary). She has more than three years’ experience of working with fathers in her locality, and is planning four more Hit the Ground Crawling sessions this year.

She says: "We have really positive relationships with our dads, and seeing them building up relationships with their children is easily the best part of my job. The Hit the Ground Crawling approach is brilliant - it was great to see the dads so keen to come along and I was surprised how open they were. Some of these dads know a lot of stuff, and many of them are staying at home while the mum goes back to work – a lot of the time it’s just giving them the confidence to know that they’re doing ok."

Background information

Buying in Hit The Ground Crawling is one of a number of ways in which children’s services can work towards meeting key Government policy objectives about engaging with fathers, including those in Every Parent Matters, the Teenage Pregnancy Strategy; the National Service Framework for Children, Young People and Maternity Services; and the Children’s Centre Practice and Performance Management Guidance. It also helps meet statutory obligations about equal treatment of men and women in public services (in the Equality Act 2006).

Further details

• For more information about Hit the Ground Crawling, its development in the UK from the US ‘Boot Camp for New Dads’ model, and the ongoing evaluation of the Staffordshire pilot, contact David Bartlett, Services Manager, Fatherhood Institute on tel 01422 847825 or mob 0795 804 2476 or email d.bartlett@fatherhoodinstitute.org.