FACES caring Dads (Faces Bedford)

Tender description

Background: FACES (Family and Children's Early-help Services) is a well-established local independent charity offering practical and emotional support to families under stress. We provide tailored support to enable parents/carers in providing safer, happier and healthier homes in which children can thrive and reach their full potential. From April 2022 – March 2023 we ran a project called Caring Dads which is an accredited program recognised in the court process to support fathers showing neglectful behaviours towards their children. This program ceased in March 2023 due to no additional funding available. Since this date, we have received several requests for this program. In April 2023 we found some funding for our Dads@FACES service to support dads through a variation of workshops and 1-1 support. This will cease in March 2024. We approached Family Hubs to consider funding these two projects together to provide a service for dads no matter where they are on their parenting journey. Objectives: · Fathers to feel less isolated by offering opportunities to meet other fathers, make friends and get out to groups to support their children · To access support for parenting advice to be able to build and improve relationships with their children · Feel listened to and have the opportunities to talk about their feelings and improve their mental health · Develop sufficient trust and motivation to engage men in the process of examining their fathering. Increase men’s awareness of child-centered fathering · Increase men’s awareness of, and responsibility for, abusive & neglectful fathering behaviours and their impact on children. · Consolidate learning, rebuild trust and plan for the future. Summary of work requested: Create a project that supports fathers through a range of workshops and 1-1 support. Our current Dads@FACES project offers workshops for dads to cover child development, co-parenting and behavioural strategies. In addition to this we can offer dads more intense support in the home 1-1. If the fathers are showing neglectful behaviours towards their children we can offer the Caring Dads program, which is an accredited 17 week programme recognised by the court process. This service will provide a holistic approach, supporting the fathers and their children but equally able to indirectly support the mothers. Stakeholders, Audiences and Partners: · Families and their children · Social care · Education settings · Health workers · Other organisations and agencies Timeline: · Dec 23 – Contract offered and agreed · Jan 24 – Establish plans for Caring Dads groups in line with programme and Family Hub outcomes – Transfer 1/3 of funding · Feb 24 – Book in timeline, venues, referral pathways etc. – Transfer 1/3 of funding · Mar 24 – Contract completed – Transfer 1/3 funding