Skills for working with dads in the early years of parenting – part one
In this first episode of our two-part series, Mark Hoppe and Roger Currie share some practice skills for working with dads in the early years of parenting.
Infant mental health assessment and formulation practices often focus on the importance of infant-mother relationships. Yet fathers play a significant role in the world of the infant.
It is important to have transparent conversations about a child’s relationship with their co-parent, whether the parent lives with their child or separately. Thinking about and exploring the infant’s social context can help you to identify family strengths and protective factors within the child’s life, as well as vulnerabilities that may need attention.
In this episode, Mark and Roger discuss the importance of supporting fathers in their transition to parenthood, and how to support dads to tune in to infants’ and toddlers’ needs. They also share how group work practices with fathers can model safety, support vulnerability and self-care, and build social connections.
In this episode, you will learn:
- some ways to support dads in their transition to parenting [03:03]
- how to have curious conversations about infants’ and toddlers’ play and inner world [05:53]
- the strengths of group work with dads [09:53]
Further information and resources:
Skills for working with dads in the early years of parenting – part two (podcast episode)
Keeping the infant and toddler in mind (online course)
Practice strategies for infant and toddler assessment (online course)
Practice strategies for formulation: Infants and toddlers (online course)
Rebuilding our shields: Sharing the stories of deadly dads (online course)
Adjusting to parenthood: Fathers and non-birthing parents (fact sheet for parents)