Research indicates that child protection services still struggle to engage effectively with children’s fathers and/or father figures. One consequence of this is that assessments may not accurately reflect the combination of risk and resources most fathers present for children they care for. Failure to engage effectively with fathers is a problem on two counts. Firstly, it means a failure to hold fathers and mothers equally to account for the safe care of children. Secondly, it means a failure to fully and fairly assess what fathers are actually doing, or could do, to care for their children.

This workshop draws on findings from recently completed research which studied men’s experiences of the child protection system in England. The project, called Counting Fathers In, studied the child protection system from the perspective of fathers involved in it, and followed fathers’ lives (and cases) over a 12 month period.

Through a mixture of presentation (including of fathers’ own stories), case studies and group discussion, the workshop will consider the following issues:

• What may help or hinder effective relationship-building with fathers?

• How might a ‘gender-sensitive’ approach to practice improve engagement with fathers?

• What do strengths or relationship based models of working offer fathers in particular?

Short Biography for Georgia Philip

Dr Georgia Philip is a Research Fellow working in the Centre for Research on Children and Families, at the University of East Anglia. Her PhD research involved a qualitative study of fatherhood after divorce or separation. Georgia is currently working on a mixed methods project: Up Against It: Understanding the scale, pattern & dynamics of fathers’ recurrent appearance in care proceedings. This project runs from Aug 2017 – July 2019 and is funded by the Nuffield Foundation. She previously worked on another Nuffield funded study: Counting Fathers In; Men’s experiences of the child protection system.

*************************************

Counting Fathers In: Sut gall gweithwyr cymdeithasol feithrin perthynas well gyda thadau sy'n ymwneud â gwasanaethau gwarchod plant?

Mae ymchwil yn dangos bod gwasanaethau gwarchod plant yn dal i'w chael yn anodd ymgysylltu'n effeithiol gyda thadau a/neu ffigurau tadol plant. Un canlyniad i hyn yw efallai nad yw asesiadau'n adlewyrchu'n gywir y cyfuniad o risg ac adnoddau y mae'r rhan fwyaf o dadau'n eu cyflwyno i'r plant dan eu gofal. Mae methu ag ymgysylltu'n effeithiol gyda thadau'n broblem ar ddau gyfrif. Yn gyntaf, mae'n golygu methiant i ddal tadau a mamau'n gyfrifol i'r un graddau am ofalu'n ddiogel am blant. Yn ail, mae'n golygu methiant i asesu'n llawn ac yn deg yr hyn mae tadau'n ei wneud mewn gwirionedd, neu y gallent fod yn ei wneud, i ofalu am eu plant.

Mae'r gweithdy hwn yn tynnu ar ganfyddiadau ymchwil a gwblhawyd yn ddiweddar oedd yn astudio profiadau dynion o'r system gwarchod plant yn Lloegr. Roedd y prosiect, Counting Fathers In, yn astudio'r system gwarchod plant o safbwynt tadau oedd yn ymwneud â hi, gan ddilyn bywydau (ac achosion) tadau dros gyfnod o 12 mis.

Drwy gyfuniad o gyflwyniad (gan gynnwys rhai o straeon y tadau eu hunain), astudiaethau achos a thrafodaeth grŵp, bydd y gweithdy'n ystyried y materion canlynol:

• Beth a allai helpu neu rwystro meithrin perthynas yn effeithiol gyda thadau?

• Sut gallai ymagwedd 'sensitif i rywedd' at ymarfer wella ymgysylltu gyda thadau?

• Beth mae modelau gwaith yn seiliedig ar gryfderau neu berthynas yn eu cynnig i dadau'n benodol?

Bywgraffiad byr Georgia Philip

Cymrawd Ymchwil yn y Ganolfan Ymchwil ar Blant a Theuluoedd ym Mhrifysgol East Anglia yw Dr Georgia Philip. Roedd ei hymchwil PhD yn cynnwys astudiaeth ansoddol o dadolaeth ar ôl ysgaru neu wahanu. Mae Georgia ar hyn o bryd yn gweithio ar brosiect dulliau cymysg: Up Against It: Understanding the scale, pattern & dynamics of fathers’ recurrent appearance in care proceedings. Mae'r prosiect hwn yn rhedeg rhwng mis Awst 2017 a mis Gorffennaf 2019 gyda chyllid gan Ymddiriedolaeth Nuffield. Cyn hyn bu'n gweithio ar astudiaeth arall a gyllidwyd gan Nuffield: Counting Fathers In; Men’s experiences of the child protection system.