Coram Family and Childcare were commissioned by Small Steps Big Changes to consult with local fathers about their wants, needs and experiences of local family services. Small Steps Big Changes is a 10 year programme funded by the National Lottery Community Fund’s A Better Start programme, working to improve outcomes for young children in four wards in Nottingham. One of their priorities is embedding father inclusive practice.

The consultation heard from almost a 100 local fathers in Nottingham through interviews, a survey and focus groups. It found that while fathers were positive about local services, they felt that they were mainly targeted at mothers. Many struggled with finding information to support their parenting role or about what was on offer locally for families. Many also did not receive the support they wanted around their own mental health.