Title: Fathers, social interventions and children's well-being
Funder: Economic and Social Research Council

Abstract: This proposal is for a programme of research that will develop the applicant's methodological skills. It is generally recognised that high quality quantitative research is lacking within UK social work. This was, for example, noted in the last two reports of the social work panel for the Research Assessment Exercise. The applicant is a social work academic with a strong track record in critical, qualitative, sociological research. He is now seeking to broaden his methodological skills via advanced training in quantitative methods and to enhance his ability to conduct inter-disciplinary research relevant to social work through training in epidemiology and attachment to a public health research centre. A research programme is proposed which is important in its own right. For social care and other helping services to engage with fathers is a relatively recent innovation and not very much is yet known about the effectiveness of different approaches. The three studies proposed will all contribute to the evidence base for more effective work with fathers and especially the impact of this work on the emotional well-being of children. Study 1 involves analysis of existing data on families and child health over time. It will examine which social factors, attitudes and behaviours in fathers are associated with children's emotional well-being. (Note that 'fathers' here means all father figures, including biological fathers, step fathers and mothers' boyfriends). Study 2 will try to identify which kinds of approaches and services are most commonly being used by practitioners who see themselves as working successfully to engage fathers. Study 3 is a pilot study of two contrasting groups or programmes for fathers. One of these interventions is likely to be for men only and one a more general parenting programme including mothers as well but having a good level of attendance from fathers. The pilot study will facilitate the development of research materials, allow for some comparison of the different approaches in the two interventions and explore the potential for future experimental research on outcomes for children of interventions with fathers, and in particular emotional health outcomes. This field of interventions with fathers involves several different professional groups, so whilst this is primarily a social work research project, there are particular connections with the field of public health. It is under a public health heading that many parenting programmes are delivered and evaluated. Because of this, the applicant will, over the course of the fellowship, explore connections between social work and public health improvement, in theory, research and practice. The connections are very strong in the USA where, for example, there are many joint public health - social work Masters programmes. The fellowship will explore the potential for more explicit collaboration between these fields in the UK.


Research activity codes: 3.1 PRIMARY PREVENTION INTERVENTIONS TO MODIFY BEHAVIOURS OR PROMOTE WELL-BEING;1.2 PSYCHOLOGICAL AND SOCIOECONOMIC PROCESSES
Health categories: GENERIC HEALTH RELEVANCE