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 row of international flags flying in the breeze outside a building in Paris on a sunny day

    Diversifying diplomacy: UK strategy in a fragmenting world

    How the UK might build more durable international partnerships in energy, defence and technology.
  2. A 'To Let' sign outside a row of houses on a residential street, UK

    High housing costs in the private rental sector: The case for action

    45 per cent of all private renters in the UK have unaffordable rents. It's time for the government to act to limit rent increases.
  3. A wide shot of several large commercial vessels, including oil tankers and a survey boat, floating on turquoise water. In the background, an industrial shoreline with numerous smokestacks and refinery infrastructure is visible under a cloudy sky. Concept of global logistics, maritime industry, and international trade.

    Price caps and economic stability: How to manage the Iran war energy shock?

    The Iran war energy shock will impose significant costs on the UK economy, even if the government does not offer a universal support package.