Daddy Dearest? Active fatherhood and public policy

Article

This report make practical and positive suggestions on how public services can be reoriented to promote active fatherhood.

Fatherhood matters. Fathers can improve the life chances of their children. They can improve the circumstances and experiences of mothers. And being a father can enhance the wellbeing of men. For all these reasons, fatherhood is a direct and appropriate concern of public policy.

As women's participation in the paid labour market has increased and family structures have changed, fatherhood has gained momentum as a political issue. Daddy Dearest? makes the case for reassessing public policy in relation to fatherhood, bringing together expert authors in the field.

Among the issues examined are:

  • barriers in the workplace and in families to more active fatherhood
  • parents' relationships and outcomes for children
  • fathers' changing aspirations and expectations
  • the changing structure of care within families.

Related items

  1. A young woman with a long ponytail sits looking out of a bus window

    State of the North 2025 - The kids aren't alright: How to deliver for young people in the North

    This year’s State of the North report highlights how regional inequality exacerbates the growing challenges facing many young northerners. 
  2. An illustration of an ideal public transport system: a smiling family cross a road near a green bus with houses and trees in the background

    The transport challenge for low-income households

    Many people living on low incomes in the UK are limited in their ability to access the building blocks of a good life because of poor transport provision.

  3. Towards universal opportunity for young people

    Outlining a vision for young people which could increase social mobility while also reducing inequality and disadvantage, so that every young person has the opportunity to build a decent life.