Practice
Profile
Hey Dad! For Fathers who have a Child with a Disability Program
Contact details
Agency: UnitingCare Institute of Family Practice
Address:
PO Box 6866
Parramatta, NSW 2150
Contact: Andrew King
Training Manager
Phone: 0412 404 577
Email: aking@burnside.org.au
Website: www.burnside.org.au
Funding source
Self funded through sales of resourcesProgram duration and frequency
Hey Dad! For Fathers who have a Child with a Disability is a new parenting group work program for fathers who are parenting a child with a disability – physical, emotional or developmental. They might be living with their child or having regular contact. This program supports fathers and their family and has been developed to complement existing supports the family already receive.
The program is comprised of:
- Ideas for developing the Dads and Kids Activity Workshops
- 12 Sessions for Dads’ Workshops
This range of session content will allow services to provide 18 months of program material for fathers and their children before any materials need to be repeated. It is designed for fathers to be involved in selecting what issues are most relevant to them.
The Hey, Dad! For Fathers who have a Child with a Disability Program was written as a partnership between UnitingCare Burnside, Centacare Broken Bay, The Spastic Centre and Lifestart and have been externally evaluated across NSW.
The Program includes:
- Dads and Kids Activity Workshops and Dads’ Workshop Session Outlines
- Handouts for all sessions
- A CD that contains:
- Colour copy of all handouts
- Promotional materials
- A colour copy of Strength Cards for Men
- A copy of the 2007 external evaluation of the program by Dianne Beatty
Program description
The Hey, Dad! For fathers who have a child with a disability Program provides:
- support for men who have a child with a disability
- increased self confidence, self esteem and the prevention of isolation for men and their families
- an opportunity to promote the important role fathers play in their family
- an opportunity for fathers and children to share experiences and build stronger connections
- discussion and shared experiences of being a father
- support, advise and information regarding childcare and other issues
- reinforcement of individual and family strengths
- opportunities for men to work more effectively with their partner in caring for the complex needs of their children
- information about child development, child care skills and community resources, to foster self development, problem-solving, stress management, assertiveness and communication
This program targets men who are fathers, step-fathers, grand-fathers that play a key role in caring for children who have a child with a disability. Many of the workshops in the incubation of the program brought together fathers from different age brackets and who had children with a range of different disabilities. This design worked well as it allows for diversity. This suits the effectiveness of group work where fathers who have a resent diagnosis for their child, learn from fathers who may have older children.
Its aim is to work alongside existing programs that are commonly accessed by the rest of the family. The design of the program is envisaged to be regular after-hours workshops that are often provided on a six-week to three-monthly basis. This ensures that the program can be delivered within existing services. The handouts are designed to be non-gender specific and can be used as a tool for the mothers as well.
Fathers, who have intense stress reactions to the diagnosis of their child, may require individual support before entering the group program.
Geographical Area
- Australia wide
Target Group
- Men