Children North East/Fathers Plus National Conference

Evaluation of Blackburn with Darwen programme – lessons for the future

9 November, 2010 www.local.gov.uk

Impact of the programme

Across the council• High degree of corporate awareness• Reach to other parts of the councilIn Children’s Centres• Communications and images• Challenging stereotypes and engagement with

fathers and family menWider impact• Culture and community cohesion• Child protection

Barriers

• Staff attitudes – some resistance to the programme and to focusing on the inclusion of fathers

• Perversely the establishment of ‘fathers’ champions’ meant that some staff felt that they did not need to focus on this work

• Fathers and male carers not considering that they have an appropriate role in a nursery environment

• The impact of a very diverse community and associated cultural issues

• The ability of inspections to disrupt ongoing work• Budget constraints

Requirements for success

• Commitment to the programme at the highest level in the organisation – the Lead Member for Children’s Services, the Chief Executive and the Director of Children’s Services all showed ongoing commitment to the work through awareness, inclusion in corporate communications, availability to attend events etc

• A consistent message about the importance of the programme from senior management

• A position statement about the Blackburn with Darwen approach to this work

• An intelligible corporate view expressed in communications with all staff

• Inclusion of discussion about this work in induction programmes and in regular staff supervision

Sustainability and future work

• Training the trainers• Network meetings• continue the high level political and officer support• recruit additional fathers’ champions• continue with a communications campaign which emphasises

that this work is everyone’s business and continues to ensure that positive images of men are evident in children’s centres and other significant places

• involve to a greater extent the council’s partner organisations and provide multi-agency training and development opportunities

• continue to engage with fathers and family men to ensure that future provision, campaigns and activities meet their needs.

Sustainability and future work

• Training the trainers• Network meetings• continue the high level political and officer support• recruit additional fathers’ champions• continue with a communications campaign which emphasises

that this work is everyone’s business and continues to ensure that positive images of men are evident in children’s centres and other significant places

• involve to a greater extent the council’s partner organisations and provide multi-agency training and development opportunities

• continue to engage with fathers and family men to ensure that future provision, campaigns and activities meet their needs.