Here are some endorsements for Fathers’ Story Week from other organisations who work with families:
Barnardos
Barnardo’s is delighted to be working in partnership with the Fatherhood Institute during ‘Fathers' Story Week’ and be benefiting from ‘Bring Your Dad to School Day’ on Friday 18th June. This initiative offers an opportunity for fathers and father figures to reflect on their role and develop their parenting skills in a supportive environment as well as play a key role in their children’s lives and development. We really encourage schools and fathers to get behind this activity whilst raising much needed funds for both Barnardo’s and The Fatherhood Institute.
Martin Field, UK Director of Fundraising
www.barnardos.org.uk
RNIB
Royal National Institute of Blind People is delighted to endorse the excellent Fathers' Story Week initiative. We fully support its ambition to increase the confidence of fathers to engage in the care, development and learning of their children. In particular, we would support the equal rights of blind and partially sighted fathers to be fully involved in their child's education from the earliest years onward. We wish Fathers' Story Week every success!
Julie Jennings, RNIB Manager: children, young people and families
http://www.rnib.org.uk
Working Families
Working Families is delighted to support Fathers’ Story Week. We know fathers want to spend more time with their children and that families benefit when they do. I hope that employers will be supportive in allowing fathers the flexibility they need to spend a fun day with their child at school
Sarah Jackson, Chief Executive, Working Families
http://www.workingfamilies.org.uk
National Childminding Association
NCMA is pleased to support Father's Story Week .Many registered childminders work together with families to help complement a child's development through reading similar stories at home as well as at the childminding setting or continuing learning themes at home. Highlighting the role a father's involvement, or a father figure, has in a child's life is important to help a child reach their full potential. NCMA encourages registered childminders to involve and work in partnership with families to provide the best possible learning and care environment for their children.
Ian Marratt, Interim Director of Communications at the National Childminding Association
http://www.ncma.org.uk
Parentline Plus
There is no doubt that fathers who engage with their children’s education provide both stimulus and reassurance for children who want all members of their family to celebrate their achievements and understand their school environment. It is not always easy being a Dad to get information and involvement with schools, as in many instances the information goes to one parent who is usually the Mum. This initiative by the Fatherhood Institute provides a fun and practical way for Dads to get involved and for them both to learn about each other and develop mutual interests.
Jeremy Todd, Chief Executive, Parentline Plus
www.parentlineplus.org.uk
Daycare Trust
Fathers’ Story Week is a great idea and we wish the Fatherhood Institute well in making it happen. Any project that helps to encourage parental involvement and the delivery of high quality services has our full support’
Alison Garnham, Chief Executive, Daycare Trust
www.daycaretrust.org.uk
National Association of Family Information Services
Fathers are such an important part of family life and the concept of a Fathers’ Story Week is inspiring. We are pleased to both endorse and champion any initiative that seeks to give them the platform they deserve.
Pat Tulloch, Chief Executive, National Association of Family Information Services
www.familyinformationservices.org.uk
National Day Nurseries Association
Fathers’ Story Week is an ideal opportunity for nurseries to positively involve the male figures in a child’s life in their early education. As it is a national initiative and something that really needs the involvement of men, we hope that it will encourage those who have not yet visited their child at nursery to do so and help them build their confidence and that of the nursery team to take part in more dad-friendly activities in future. NDNA will be sharing information with its members about this exciting programme and encouraging them to take part.
Purnima Tanuku, Chief Executive, National Day Nurseries Association
www.ndna.org.uk
British Association of Social Workers
What a good idea to focus on the positive role of fathers and other men in the lives of all children and young people. We hope there will be surprises, learning together - and fun - and we look forward to hearing about some of the things that happened
Bridget Robb, Development Manager, British Association of Social Workers
www.basw.co.uk
Pre-School Learning Alliance
The Pre-school Learning Alliance recognises that partnership with parents, that is both mothers and fathers, is crucial for the learning and development of young children. We are therefore happy to endorse the Fathers’ Story Week initiative.
Tim Kahn, Inclusion Officer, Pre-School Learning Alliance
www.pre-school.org.uk
Families Need Fathers
For separated dads, sharing everyday activities with their children is crucial and it is so important that fathers are involved in their children’s learning and schools. Families Need Fathers is pleased to support Fathers’ Story Week, which we hope will achieve the important aim of getting dads involved in their children’s education. Sometimes schools find it difficult to engage with separated fathers, we hope that Fathers’ Story Week will highlight why it is so important these fathers don’t remain invisible. Come on dads get those books out!
Jon Davies, Chief Executive, Families Need Fathers
www.fnf.org.uk
Action for Prisoners’ Families
We are delighted to endorse Fathers’ Story Week. With Storybook Mums and Dads a huge success, and homework clubs flourishing in a number of prisons, there is every reason why this programme can thrive in prisons. In our experience prison staff are only too pleased to have access to materials and activities which can help them do their jobs better. Many of our members will be able to use the programme in their work.
Diana Ruthven, Head of Communications, Action for Prisoners’ Families
www.prisonersfamilies.org.uk
DadTalk
We are proud to endorse and be part of Fathers Story Week. Dads play a key role in their children’s lives and nowhere is this more evident than around learning and education outcomes. We salute the thinking behind this initiative.
Paul Kellett, Project Manager, DadTalk
www.dadtalk.co.uk
Unison
National Children’s Bureau
Mumsnet
Mumsnet is very pleased to support this programme and wish it every success in encouraging fathers to spend time enjoying story time with their children.
Children's Workforce
Development Council
"Father figures make an important difference to children’s lives.
“Fathers’ Story Week is a great opportunity for the people working with children and young people to really get fathers more involved with their children’s learning.
“We endorse and fully support Fathers’ Story Week and we really hope it helps to create many positive experiences for children and fathers."
Jane Haywood
www.cwdcouncil.org.uk
Michael Rosen
“I support Fathers' Story Week”
Michael Rosen, poet and Children's Laureate (2007-09)
www.michaelrosen.co.uk
Kids VIP
“For the estimated 160,000 children whose fathers are in prison, their opportunities to share learning together is often very limited. We are therefore delighted to endorse Father’s Story Week as a valuable resource for children and fathers to share together in prison visits. Kids VIP are also pleased to be working in partnership with the Fatherhood Institute to adapt these resources for use in the prison setting.”
Samantha Rider, Director, Kids VIP
www.kidsvip.co.uk
netmums.com
“Netmums is delighted to be supporting this positive initiative. These are lovely simple ways for dads to spend time with their children and we know that mums across the country will also be backing Father’s Story Week.”
Julia McGinley, Parent Support Manager
http://www.netmums.com
Mens Health Forum
In 2007 we ran a research project in East London in which young children discussed their idea of a “good father”. One boy said that he wanted “nothing extravagant” - just someone ordinary who was loving, loyal and supportive. Our recent report on men’s mental health, Untold Problems, highlights the importance of good fathers to the physical and psychological well-being of future generations. As a nation, we could – and should - do better than we currently do in supporting fathers and fatherhood. Fathers’ Story Week is a fantastic idea which we wholeheartedly support.
David Wilkins, Policy Officer, Men’s Health Forum
www.menshealthforum.org.uk
Mighty Men of Valour (MMV)
Mighty Men of Valour (MMV) is 100% in support of “Fathers Story Week” as it fully encapsulate our aims for fathers to make a significant and beneficial difference in their child’s life. MMV’s “Fathers for Life Campaign” was launched in 2008 at the House of Parliament to encourage every father to make a pledge to support their child for life, regardless of the challenges that they may face. “Fathers Story Week” endorses our campaign by recognising that whether you are the biological father, adopted father, foster father, grandfather, godfather, or surrogate father, your input is invaluable to your child’s wellbeing.
Frederick Clarke, Executive Director, Mighty Men of Valour
www.mightymenofvalour.com
Grandparents Plus
Fathers' story week is a great opportunity to recognise and support the vital role that granddads and uncles as well as dads play a vital role in children's lives. Research shows that children with a close relationship with their grandparents, for example sharing hobbies and interests or with a grandparent involved in school, are less likely to have emotional problems or difficulties getting on with other children. Especially where fathers are absent or lack time to spend with their children, grandfathers can be involved in teaching children to read, sharing stories and family and cultural history. So let's celebrate grandads as part of Fathers’ Story Week!
Sarah Wellard, Policy and Research Manager, Grandparents Plus
www.grandparentsplus.org.uk/
Nursery World
Nursery World is delighted to back Fathers' Story Week. Our readers know how vital it is to work in partnership with parents to support young children's learning and development at home and in early years settings. They are also very enthusiastic about becoming more 'father-inclusive' and helping dads to be as involved as possible in their children's education.
Liz Roberts, editor of Nursery World
www.nurseryworld.co.uk
BT Group
Creating a family-friendly workplace makes great business sense - the happier and more involved our dads are, the better our business will perform." We encourage parental involvement in all stages of their children's development.
We are therefore delighted to support ' Fathers Story Week' , giving fathers a great opportunity to enjoy the pleasure of being involved in their children's learning and development
Caroline Waters OBE, BT Group Director People & Policy
http://www.btplc.com/Responsiblebusiness/Ourpeople/
Think Fathers
Think Fathers is thrilled to endorse Fathers‚ Story Week an initiative that is truly father inclusive across Early Years, infant and primary schools. The excellent resources for practitioners provide the opportunity to include all dads and father figures from all communities and of all abilities in their children‚ learning and development. We hope participating agencies will use FSW as a foundation for strengthening the father-inclusiveness of all their activities.
David Bartlett, Deputy Chief Executive The Fatherhood Institute
www.fatherhoodinstitute.org/
Early Childhood Unit
The Early Childhood Forum is delighted to support Fathers' Story Week which is being run by Fatherhood Institute, one of its member organisations. This initiative provides a fun and enjoyable way for fathers to engage with their children and support their learning. It also offers an opportunity to celebrate the wonderful role that fathers play in every aspect of their children's lives. Promoting father-inclusive practice enables fathers to feel confident and welcome in accessing services with their children. This is something which all ECF members are very supportive of as it makes a real difference to children's and families' lives.
Heather Ransom, Development Officer (Networks) Early Childhood Unit
http://www.edcm.org.uk/ecu_network/early_childhood_unit_networks.aspx
Northern Ireland Childminding Association
Northern Ireland Childminding Association is very happy to endorse the Fathers‚ Story Week programme ‚ the web-site provides some very practical and imaginative solutions to what must be a growing issue.
Bridget Nodder, Director, Northern Ireland Childminding Association
www.nicma.org
Children England
Children England is delighted to be supporting Fathers’ Story Week. We value this campaign and recognise the importance of involving fathers in all aspects of their children’s development. We will be encouraging our members to take part and support the move to make services more father-inclusive.
Sophie Griffiths, Policy and Information Officer, Children England
www.childrenengland.org.uk/
