Staying Connected is a strengths-based programme designed to be presented to groups of separated fathers or mothers. The course focuses on the following elements:

• Looking after me – promoting help seeking behaviour

• Me and the other parent – promoting a business-like relationship

• Me and my kids – tips and hints for staying connected with your kids post separation

Each participant comes away with a personalised workbook including many tips and hints and useful contacts for further support.

The programme is delivered by two facilitators, providing a safe place for intimate discussion in the knowledge that there is sufficient capacity to ‘hold’ any of the participants should the need arise.

Evaluation of the programme

Evaluation of the programme, so far delivered to groups of separated dads, indicates that they see improvements in their well-being as well as in their relationships with their children and their children’s mother – enabling them to work better as a family.

Here are a few quotes from some of the evaluation forms from dads who have attended Staying Connected.

“Sharing things with other guys in the group is so valuable- we are going to set up a virtual e mail group so we can keep on talking”

“Attending the course made me realise that my situation isn’t as bad as I thought – this was immensely reassuring and made me realise how well I am managing.”

“The course made me realise the importance of staying focussed on the most important thing – my children and not getting side tracked into conflict situations with their mother.”

We can deliver the workshop direct; or we can provide a ‘train the trainers’ course, preparing your team to deliver to mums and dads in your setting. The latter course is aimed at service managers and frontline workers from a variety of settings, including Children’s Centres, maternity services, child protection, schools and family learning services, Connexions, child and adolescent mental health services, teenage pregnancy services and youth offending teams.

The ‘train the trainers’ course focuses on understanding the challenges and complexities of separation and non-residency, enabling participants to:

• Build the confidence, knowledge and skills to work effectively with separated parents and non resident parents

• Explore and plan practical multi-agency strategies to engage non- resident fathers

• Understand the implications of emerging public policy frameworks (including the “big society”) for working with non- resident fathers.

Find out more

Send an email to Jeszemma Garratt on j.garratt@fatherhoodinstitute.org or call her on 07917 864 130.