Skills for working with dads in the early years of parenting – part two
In this second episode of our two-part series, Mark Hoppe and Roger Currie discuss the importance of being curious about fathers’ roles in the family system.
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 relationships with their co-parent, whether the parent lives with the child or separately. Thinking about and exploring the infant’s family relationships 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 provide insights into how they hold a therapeutic alliance with dads while acting as advocates for infants’ and toddlers’ mental health needs. They also consider the importance of collaboration between practitioners to promote child wellbeing and support safety.
In this episode you will learn:
- why it’s important to make dads visible in assessment conversations [01:54]
- how interdisciplinary collaboration centers infants’ and toddlers’ needs in assessment [03:45]
- the importance of empathy, accountability and responsibility when working with dads [04:54]
- tools to help dads understand their children’s needs and the neuroscience of co-regulation [09:24]
Further information and resources:
Skills for working with dads in the early years of parenting – part one (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: Stories of deadly dads (online course)
Adjusting to parenthood: Fathers and non-birthing parents (fact sheet for parents)