Dad Central Ontario Connecting to Build Healthy Children Together

Connect

Inform

Mobilize

Fathers

Children

Families

Services

Society

Connecting to Build Healthy Children

Together

Vision • a society that understands the importance of

father involvement to healthy child development • communities that recognize the importance of the

father’s role and are pro-active in the development and implementation of supportive, protective public policies that enable responsible father involvement

• every child has access to a caring, involved, and responsible father engaged in enhancing his child’s resiliency

Mission • to promote both understanding of and concerted action toward responsible father

involvement

Goals • to increase awareness of and knowledge about the importance of father involvement • to support the expansion of the father involvement movement in local communities

and across Canada • to support fathers in their role as positive contributors in shaping the lives of their

children

Guiding Principles We recognize that our individual and collective efforts are as diverse as the communities in which we are a part of. The common thread that pulls us all together is that father involvement is a supportive condition of healthy child development and resiliency. The following guiding principles will assist the network in setting priorities, developing partnerships and guiding decision-making.

Guiding Principle #1: Children first • We acknowledge the well-being and healthy development of children as our primary

consideration. • We promote every child's right to have access to a father's and a mother's positive

involvement.

Guiding Principle #2: Importance of both parents • We recognize the unique contributions and responsibility of both parents, and the

advantage for children in having positive interaction with both parents regardless of the family structure.

• We recognize that a key component of being an involved father is the partnership and mutual support of both parents for the benefit of the children.

Guiding Principle #3: Responsible father involvement • We support fathers in developing personalized relationships with their children. • We support fathers in the expansion of their understanding of the many facets of

their fathering role.

• We recognize that in addition to the biological father, other men may complement the fathering role.

Guiding Principle #4: Social responsibility • We promote the idea that children are

everyone's collective responsibility • We work to increase awareness among men of

the impact of their decisions on children in general as they assume their varied societal roles outside the family.

• We will advocate so that societal supports are there for any man who assumes the fathering role.

Guiding Principle #5: Diversity • We recognize that fathers require unique support that addresses their unique needs

and is not just a revision of strategies that are planned for mothers. • We encourage the promotion of father involvement, taking into consideration

cultural diversity, the different types of family structures and the sexual orientation of the father.

Guiding Principle #6: Empowerment • We recognize the importance of valuing the varied dimensions of the father's role

and that facilitating active and responsible father involvement is preferable to compensating for an absent father.

• We encourage the participation of fathers at all steps of planning and implementation of supports and resources for them.

• We encourage community development and social marketing approaches based on strengths, talents, and capacities of the father and of the community, aiming to work with the fathers instead of for the fathers.

• We will foster training strategies for staff, volunteers and/or fathers that: build on new and existing knowledge, strengths and abilities; encourage a transfer of abilities; empower people to act for change.

Guiding Principle #7: Collaboration • We will emphasize and support partnerships across the variety of sectors within

communities, including families and they people who support them.

Guiding Principle #8: Sustainability • We will explore current and potential sustainable practices and opportunities to

support father involvement strategies and efforts.

Building a Network Dad Central Ontario believes it is crucial that networks are built across communities, provinces, and this country in order to meet its vision. Whether you are a father, a mother, a child, or someone who is interested in engaging and supporting fathers in their role, you can get involved with this initiative.

Get Involved:

• join the Community of Father Involvement Practice • follow our blog: thingsdadsdo.wordpress.com • sponsor/promote father involvement community training opportunities in your

community (check out our website for training opportunities) • list your program or service for fathers on the Dads Directory • offer a workshop/event for fathers (mydad.ca has some for download) • offer the Super Dads Super Kids program in your community • look for ways to highlight the value of men in their role as fathers • join the Dad Central Ontario page on Facebook • ask about seed funding for local fathering events

Hey Dad!

Did you know that you will make very important and irreplaceable contributions to your child’s life? Research backs it up. But all we really need to do is to look into the eyes of a child who is thinking about their father and watch as a child runs to Dad waiting to be scooped up in a huge hug. Being a responsibly involved father is good for kids, it is good for moms, it is good for the community, and it is good for dads. So make the most of every opportunity you have to be the kind of dad your child needs.

Remember . . . not only do children grow from having an involved father, but fathers also grow from being involved in the lives of children!

Involved Fathers

connect earlier than ever

play with their children

show love and affection

help their children learn

build lasting relationships

Connecting to Build Healthy Children Together

Booklets: Involved Fathers (A Guide for Today’s Dad) Full-time Dad, Part-time Kid (Separated and Divorced dads) Daddy, Come Play with Me Kids We Can Count On (Building Character in Kids) One Step at a Time (Blended Families) Daddy, I Need You (Early Attachment) 24 Hour Cribside Assistance for New Dads Dads! Renovate Your Relationship

Early Literacy Bookmarks: A set of 9 bookmarks with tips for encouraging literacy.

My Dad Matters: engaging men raising the next generation

A toolkit that organizations can use to become more father-friendly and more father-inclusive in their practices.

Involved Fathers Posters: 5-set poster series

• Standard set • First Nations set

Fact-marks: Tip-sheets for understanding a variety of issues fathers face

These and other resources are available at store.dadcentral.ca

DAD CENTRAL RESOURCES & TOOLS (MOST ARE AVAILABLE IN BOTH FRENCH & ENGLISH)

Follow our blog for updates and news:thingsdadsdo.wordpress.com

DAD CENTRAL ONTARIO IS DEDICATED TO PROMOTING AND SUPPORTING RESPONSIBLE FATHER INVOLVEMENT.

WE BELIEVE THAT CHILDREN NEED RESPONSIBLE FATHERS, MOTHERS, AND COMMUNITIES IN ORDER TO GROW TO BE RESPONSIBLE THEMSELVES.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

WWW.DADCENTRAL.CA MYDAD.CA

NEWDADMANUAL.CA

30 BENNETT ST CARLETON PLACE, ON K7C 4J9

INFO@DADCENTRAL.CA 613-257-2779 X3108