‘I am reading to her and she loves it': benefits of engaging fathers from disadvantaged areas in their children's early learning transitions

Abstract

Findings presented here relate to the evaluation of a one-year father-inclusion project, which took place in an area of multiple deprivation in the North of England. The project's goal was to engage fathers and male carers in their children's transition from an early years setting to a reception class and to maintain that involvement in the mainstream school setting. The project was successful in engaging men, recording 76 male attendances, 19 of which were recorded at school-based activities after the transition. Key benefits identified by fathers engaged in the project were closer relationships with their children and greater involvement in their play and learning. Children were very positive about their fathers' involvement and school staff identified a better rapport with fathers following the project.

Keywords:

• father engagement
• early transitions
• socioeconomic disadvantage
• benefits