Research and Background for Creating Father Inclusive Family Hubs.

In England, 95.4% of mothers and fathers register their baby's birth together, and of the 95% of fathers present in their baby's life in the year 2000, nine in ten were still part of their lives when they were teenagers. Yet despite this encouraging picture, many fathers remain underserved and under-engaged by family services. Research demonstrates that engaged fathers contribute uniquely to their children's development across cognitive, emotional, social, and behavioural domains—benefits that begin before birth and extend throughout the lifespan. 

As the UK's Family Hubs programme expands across the country, there is a renewed opportunity to place father engagement at the heart of family support. This article examines the compelling evidence for why engaging fathers matters and how Family Hubs can lead the way in creating truly father-inclusive services. 

Cognitive and Academic Development 

Fathers today are more involved in their children's lives than ever before, and their engagement in early learning activities like playing, reading, singing, drawing and visiting parks or libraries supports children's emotional, cognitive and educational development, as well as their early language and literacy skills. 

Research using UK data has demonstrated clear links between father involvement and children's outcomes. Using longitudinal data from the UK Millennium Cohort Study for children born in 2000–2001, research assessed the association of resident fathers' involvement with subsequent behaviour of their children. The findings were significant: father's quality of parenting, rather than frequency or share of routine care, is associated with lower risk of child behaviour problems. 

Studies confirm that father involvement matters from the earliest stages. Early involvement of fathers with their children is associated with improved cognitive and socio-emotional development of children, with benefits beginning even before birth. Partner support during pregnancy may encourage healthier maternal behaviour, for example with regard to cigarette smoking and alcohol consumption. 

Sources: National Literacy Trust, PLOS One - Millennium Cohort Study, BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth 

Long-Term Impact on Child Wellbeing 

The UK's Fatherhood Institute research review, analysing 118 detailed studies from UK longitudinal cohorts, demonstrates that fathers matter from day one. Fathers' depression in the postnatal year has been found in longitudinal studies to be associated with poorer school performance at child-age 16, and with higher depression scores in 9-10-year-olds—and, when the father's education level was low, in both sons and daughters at age 16. 

Absent fathers have been associated with poorer educational, behavioural and developmental outcomes in children with both direct effects on infant and child behaviour and indirect effects possibly due to partner relationship problems, lack of social support and exposure to increased levels of maternal stress hormones whilst in utero. 

Sources: Fatherhood Institute, BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth 

Quality Over Quantity: What Matters Most 

UK research emphasises an important finding: it's not simply the amount of time fathers spend with children that matters most, but the quality of that time. The father's quality of parenting, rather than frequency or share of routine care, is associated with lower risk of child behaviour problems. This finding is consistent with recent analysis of data from a large Australian cohort, which reported that child behaviour was positively associated with quality of parenting by the father (warmth, self-efficacy and good co-parental relationship), but not with father's contact time. 

Where available, equivalent measures of mother involvement (positive parenting beliefs at 9 months and engagement in both active and creative play at 5 years) were associated with lower risk of subsequent behaviour problems in both boys and girls, suggesting that warm, engaged parenting from both parents provides the optimal environment for children. 

Source: PLOS One - Millennium Cohort Study 

The Reality of Father Involvement in the UK 

While fathers are more involved than previous generations, significant gaps remain. Prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, fathers in the UK spent an average of 24 minutes caring for children for every hour that was done by women. This gender gap has widened further: The Institute for Fiscal Studies report that although fathers had doubled the amount of time they spent on childcare in the early stages of the 2020 lockdown, mothers were still doing the majority—spending an average of 2.3 hours more on childcare than fathers. 

Importantly, most fathers agree that they should be as involved in childcare as the mother, and many would prefer to spend more time caring for their children than they currently do. This suggests that barriers—rather than lack of willingness—prevent greater father engagement. 

The way in which family and work-time is arranged during the first three years of parenthood shapes fathers' childcare involvement throughout the early stages of a child's life. Fathers are more likely to be involved in childcare when the baby is nine months old if they work standard full-time (30-40 hours a week) rather than long full-time (45+ per week) hours, and if the mother works full-time. 

Sources: UK Data Service 

Fathers After Separation 

Research on fathers' involvement after separation reveals important patterns. Changes in fathering over the last decades have led to substantially more involvement of fathers in their children's upbringing. At the same time, high rates of parental separation and subsequent loss of contact fuel concern about separated fathers' role in their children's lives. 

However, fathers spend more time and are more involved with their children than before. Recent decades have seen an increased role of fathers in child-rearing. The evidence suggests that pre-separation involvement matters: are fathers with lower levels of contact after separation those who were less involved fathers when co-resident? is a key question examined in UK research. 

Source: European Journal of Population 

The Barriers Fathers Face 

Despite their desire to be involved, fathers face significant structural and cultural barriers to engagement with services. 

Systemic Exclusion from Services 

Fathers are actively 'shut out' from the beginning, with the pathetic two weeks of poorly-paid statutory paternity leave to which employed fathers are entitled underlining their role as outsiders. The problem goes deeper: data-systems (from birth notifications on) need to include fathers' details (it is a shocking truth that currently they do not do so). 

Societal expectations of men and fathers can act as a barrier to paternal engagement in formal services, and there is a need for professionals to critically review their provision and consider ways in which they can make their services more father-friendly. 

Sources: Fatherhood Institute, Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities 

The Need for Father-Inclusive Practice 

The evidence is clear that traditional service models marginalise fathers. As one comprehensive UK strategy found, gender-neutral messaging is insufficient—explicit father-focused language and imagery are essential for engaging fathers effectively. 

Family Hubs: Leading the Way in Father Engagement 

The UK's Family Hubs programme represents a significant opportunity to embed father-inclusive practice across family services. Launched with £300 million of government funding, Family Hubs bring together services for parents and carers to give children the best start in life, with a specific focus on the crucial first 1,001 days (conception to age two). 

Innovative Father Engagement Through Family Hubs 

Councils across England are developing innovative approaches to engage fathers through their Family Hubs: 

Stockton-on-Tees 

Stockton-on-Tees conducts programmes to engage with different family members, such as fathers. The council ran a 12-week, in-person Family Links parenting programme through its hubs to help fathers engage with their children. This group helped fathers to learn the fundamentals of parenting, teaching them to be a supportive and consistent presence for their children. At the beginning of the programme, most fathers had little to no contact with their children; at the end of the programme, all fathers had intermittent or regular contact with their children. 

Source: Local Government Association 

Cornwall 

Many families are geographically hard to reach given the rural nature of Cornwall. COVID-19 prompted the development of different delivery models, enabling more engagement with rurally isolated families, as well as with fathers. New digital delivery models included: a hybrid offer with online support via Teams and WhatsApp video calls with young people; more support during the evenings; a number of evidence-based parenting programmes; and a parenting help programme to support families with children. 

Source: Local Government Association 

Lincolnshire 

The council has identified 'seldom reached' families through their needs assessment, such as fathers, travelling communities, adults with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), and military families, and uses specific communication strategies to engage with each of these groups. Following a county-wide piece of research on fathers, Lincolnshire developed a communication strategy which is open and welcoming, and assumes that the father is also a primary caregiver. 

Source: Local Government Association 

Halton: A Model for Systemic Change 

Halton Borough Council has developed one of the most comprehensive father-inclusive strategies in the country. Halton Borough Council has developed a comprehensive strategy to embed father-inclusive practice across its Family Hubs and partner services. Recognising fathers as vital caregivers, the initiative promotes inclusive language, tailored service design, staff training, and community collaboration. The strategy includes flexible programming, digital engagement, and policy reform to improve access and outcomes. 

Through the Fatherhood Institute, Halton recruited 18 Fatherhood Champions across services including health visiting, libraries, maternity, and early help. Champions completed a three-day training programme and now lead local implementation, cascade learning, and contribute to strategic planning. Staff training included seminars, briefings, and a whole-system Fatherhood Conference attended by 90 professionals. Topics ranged from safeguarding and perinatal engagement to digital communication and mental health. Feedback showed 97.7% improved understanding and 100% intent to implement inclusive strategies. 

Crucially, Halton co-produced programmes with fathers, identifying preferences for weekend sessions, male-only groups, and digital resources. Barriers such as inflexible hours, lack of male practitioners, and poor health literacy were addressed through tailored interventions. 

The key learning? Gender-neutral messaging is insufficient—explicit father-focused language and imagery are essential. 

Source: Local Government Association 

Supporting Young Fathers 

In 2021, four North East councils, Gateshead, Sunderland, Middlesbrough and County Durham commissioned North East Young Dads and Lads (NEYDL) to establish and deliver young father inclusive services in their Family Hubs in support of two of the programme strands: 'Perinatal mental health' and 'Parenting Support within the first 1,001 days of a child's life (zero to two years)'. 

The programme provides intensive support, with Young Dads Support Workers providing an average of 48 hours support for each young dad per year. Since the start of the programme, NEYDL has reached and supported 217 young dads across the four localities, delivering activities including: 

Weekly five-a-side football sessions in three localities, monthly father and child cycling activities in each locality, weekly young dads peer support groups in two localities, twice weekly video gaming sessions moderated by young dad volunteers, and representation by four young dads in Family Hub Parent and Carer panels in two localities. 

The outcomes demonstrate the effectiveness of this approach in enabling young dads to gain new skills and confidence as parents, form closer relationships with their children, and reduce loneliness, anxiety and poor mental health. 

Source: Local Government Association 

Telford and Wrekin: Commissioned Father Support 

Telford & Wrekin Council has commissioned local charity Challenging Perceptions to deliver dedicated support for fathers as part of the Borough's Family Hubs service. The new programme will provide groups and resources for dads during the first two years of their child's life, helping them to build confidence, strengthen family relationships, support their wellbeing and ensure fathers are included from the earliest stages of parenthood. 

As Councillor Shirley Reynolds explains: "Fathers often feel overlooked in perinatal services, despite the huge role they play in children's development and family wellbeing. Through the Family Hubs programme, we'll ensure dads feel supported, included and valued as parents". 

Importantly, the programme will be shaped by local dads to ensure services meet their needs. 

Source: Telford & Wrekin Council 

Coventry: Building Father Voice Into Services 

Coventry City Council, one of only 13 national trailblazer sites, has developed an impressive Parent Voice Network. Coventry's Parent Voice Network now includes over 320 members, with strong representation from Black and ethnic minority communities and fathers. The network meets both in person and online, with translated materials and multilingual engagement. Surveys show 98% satisfaction and 95% feeling a strong sense of community. 

A father's testimonial demonstrates the impact: "My name is Connor Morgan, and I am a single father to three wonderful children. I reached out to the fantastic staff in the Coventry Family Hubs. They invited me to participate in a 10-week Nurture Programme, which not only provides me with valuable insights but also significantly boosted my confidence as a father. Through this course, I met a kind lady who introduced me to the Parent Voice Network, where I could share my experiences to support others". 

The city also plans to build on its work with fathers, extending inclusive practice beyond the first 1,001 days to ensure all services reflect the needs of dads. 

Sources: Local Government Association, Coventry City Council 

National Policy Direction 

The Family Hubs and Start for Life Programme explicitly recognises the importance of father engagement. The programme guide encourages providing tailored outreach sessions, including for expectant parents, fathers and male carers, lone parents, LGBTQ+ parents and minority ethnic parents. 

One general focus of the family hubs programme is on improving engagement with fathers, marking a significant shift in national policy towards truly inclusive family support. 

Sources: Government Family Hubs Guide, Nursery World 

The evidence is unequivocal: fathers matter profoundly. From pregnancy onwards, engaged fathers contribute uniquely to their children's cognitive development, emotional wellbeing, and life outcomes. The UK's Family Hubs programme provides an unprecedented opportunity to embed father-inclusive practice across family services nationwide. 

The examples from Halton, Stockton-on-Tees, Coventry, the North East, Telford and Wrekin, and other councils demonstrate what's possible when services intentionally engage fathers. These aren't token gestures—they represent systemic change that recognises fathers as vital caregivers deserving of dedicated support. 

As Family Hubs continue to develop, the question is not whether to engage fathers, but how to do so most effectively. The answer lies in co-production with fathers themselves, explicit father-focused provision, workforce development, and addressing the structural barriers that have historically excluded fathers from family services. 

Nurseries and schools should actively seek to engage with fathers, including those who do not live full-time with their children. This principle should extend to all family services. 

The future looks brighter. Young-age-at-parenthood is strongly associated with unstable parental relationships, and today teenage pregnancy is rare. This means the percentage of families with dependent children headed by a 'lone parent', already at its lowest in more than 20 years, is likely to keep falling. 

With intentional effort, comprehensive training, co-produced services, and a genuine commitment to father-inclusive practice, Family Hubs can lead the way in ensuring all fathers feel supported, included, and valued as parents—giving children the benefit of engaged fathers and creating stronger families for generations to come. 

UK Research 

Family Hubs Resources