Father Engagement in Child Welfare Services

Father engagement in child welfare services encompasses the active participation of fathers in assessments, decision-making, interventions and ongoing support aimed at promoting child safety, development and well-being. Historically, service delivery and research have centred on maternal involvement, leaving fathers underrepresented despite evidence that their involvement can strengthen family resilience, buffer against adverse outcomes and enhance effectiveness of interventions. Barriers to father engagement operate at multiple levels: institutional policies may overlook paternal roles; practitioners often lack training in father-inclusive practice; and cultural norms can discourage men from seeking support. Conversely, tailored outreach, flexible scheduling and father-specific content foster engagement, contributing to improved child behavioural and emotional outcomes, reduced interparental conflict and more sustainable family functioning. Globally, renewed policy interest in shared caregiving and gender-equitable service models has stimulated innovation in early intervention, safeguarding and mental health programmes. Embedding father engagement as a core component of child welfare practice requires concerted efforts in workforce training, organisational change and culturally sensitive approaches that acknowledge diverse family structures. By integrating fathers as partners rather than adjuncts, services can better address risk factors, strengthen positive parenting and promote holistic family well-being.

Research from Nature Portfolio

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Father Engagement in Child Welfare Services publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in father engagement in child welfare services across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Father engagement: The degree to which fathers are involved in assessment, planning, decision-making and delivery of child welfare interventions.

Child welfare services: Programmes and interventions designed to ensure child safety, health and development, often involving social workers, health professionals and community agencies.

Parenting intervention: Structured programmes aimed at improving parenting skills, family relationships and child outcomes through education, skills practice and support.

Externalising behaviour: Child behaviours directed outward, such as aggression, defiance or hyperactivity, commonly targeted in early intervention services.

Deficit model: An approach that views particular groups (for example fathers) primarily in terms of shortcomings or problems, rather than strengths and capacities.

References

1. Mental Health Is a Family Affair—Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis on the Associations between Mental Health Problems in Parents and Children during the COVID-19 Pandemic. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (2023).
2. Enhancing Father Engagement in Parenting Programs: Translating Research into Practice Recommendations. Australian Psychologist (2019).
3. Examining Practitioner Competencies, Organizational Support and Barriers to Engaging Fathers in Parenting Interventions. Child Psychiatry & Human Development (2017).
4. Barriers and Facilitators to Engaging Mothers and Fathers in Family-Based Interventions: A Qualitative Systematic Review. Child Psychiatry & Human Development (2022).
5. Patterns of Engagement and Non-Engagement of Young Fathers in Early Intervention and Safeguarding Work. Social Policy and Society (2015).