$5.4 Million Funding Boost for Fatherhood Project

For the dying men that Dr Bruce Robinson, a West Australian cancer surgeon treated, there was one common regret – not spending enough time with one’s children. This common thread between his patients led to him forming The Fatherhood Project, a program that will now be rolled out nationally thanks to a Federal Government funding boost of $5.4 million over three years.

The Fathering Project’s aim is to help fathers realise how important they are in a child’s life. Fathers are given advice on how to encourage their children, be proactive, and get involved early in their children’s upbringing. Fathers and father figures get connected through the program in positive ways, providing significant support in real situations.

Evidence shows that an engaged dad will benefit the wellbeing of his kids today and tomorrow. A positive relationship with a father and child can mean a child is:

• Less likely to use illicit substances
• More likely to have improved mental health and a stronger sense of worth
• Less likely to self-harm or suicide
• More likely to have better health and general wellbeing
• More likely to have further developed cognitive ability
• More likely to perform better at school

Families Minister Paul Fletcher has stressed the importance of the program.

“It might just be walking in the park, it might be going to see some sport, going to watch a movie, but all the research shows that if dads spend time with their children, it helps them be more effective fathers,” Mr Fletcher told Seven’s Sunrise.

“The Fathering Project equips men to be the best dads they can be.”

The new funding will support the Fathering Project to roll out dads groups in primary schools nationally, encouraging men to speak with other fathers about their experience as well as spend time with their children. The funding will also be used to help expand the program’s digital resources so that dads will have a place to go both within a school and also online.

You can learn more about the Fathering Project here.

Photo by Derek Thomson on Unsplash