Last reviewed July 2026
One Minute Guide to Engaging with Men
Engaging with Men
Why consider how we work with male caregivers?
This guide highlights why male caregivers are often overlooked, how to engage them safely and effectively, and how to identify and respond to risk.
Fathers and male caregivers play a key role in children’s development, wellbeing and safety. Engaging them strengthens family resilience and reduces safeguarding risks. When they are not identified or included, important information and protective factors can be missed. Effective engagement, alongside robust risk management, improves outcomes.
Why does father involvement matter?
Research shows fathers have a significant impact on children’s emotional, behavioural and cognitive development. Positive involvement is linked to better wellbeing, stronger learning outcomes, and fewer behavioural difficulties.
High-quality interactions such as play, reading, and shared activities, build resilience and support emotional development. Strong relationships with fathers are also linked to better social skills, emotional regulation and reduced risk-taking. Fathers can be a key protective factor, particularly where there are parental mental health difficulties in their partner. Their involvement can reduce negative impacts of parental depression and the effectiveness of child mental health interventions.
Why do men often go unseen?
Despite their importance, fathers are often on the margins of professional involvement. Day-to-day caregiving is still more visible in mothers, and services can default to viewing them as the “primary” parent, leading to fathers being overlooked in assessment, planning and decision-making.
Non-resident fathers, stepfathers and other men in a child’s life may go unidentified unless practitioners ask directly. Some fathers also report feeling excluded, judged or unclear about their role, making them less likely to engage.
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Language Use non-judgemental questions to identify who is involved:Who lives in the home? (incl. temporary residents)
Who visits or stays overnight?
Who provides care, regularly/ocassionally?
Who has emotional, digital or financial influence?
Who does the child talk to? -
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Ecomapping Map the men in the child’s life, including:Biological fathers
Stepfathers, partners, foster or adoptive parents
Non-resident fathers and regular visitors
Older male siblings
Extended family (e.g. uncles, grandfathers)
Friends or associates with regular contact
Working With Men Who Are High Risk
Core principles:
- Assess safety (including staff safety plans)
- Stay child-focused
- Separate risk from care
- Avoid collusion (challenge minimisation, denial and
victim-blaming)
Practical tips:
- Use motivational interviewing
- Be consistent, clear and transparent
- Gather information from multiple sources – do not rely on one parent’s account
- Identify patterns, triggers and protective factors
- Work with specialist services (e.g. domestic abuse, mental health, substance misuse)
- Maintain multi-agency oversight – no single service should manage high-risk men alone
- Are Domestic Abuse, Mental Ill Health and Substance Misuse a concern? Identifying the trio of vulnerabilites is essential to accessing safeguarding risk
Barriers Men Face in Engagement
Recognising these barriers helps tailor engagement and
avoid misinterpreting reluctance as lack of interest.
- Not seen as the main caregiver
- Perception that services are “for mums”
- Fear of blame, judgement, or being viewed as a risk.
- Cultural or generational expectations about parenting
- Work patterns limiting involvement
- Negative experiences with services
- Low confidence in parenting skills
- Practical barriers (e.g. literacy, transport, language, neurodiversity)
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Stay Child -Focussed Engaging fathers requires a respectful, clear and child focused approach. Treat them as key partners in safeguarding from the outset - be explicit about their role, expectations and the value they bring. Use simple, jargon-free communication and recognise strengths early to build trust.Be flexible to support engagement: offer appointments outside standard hours, contact fathers directly, and consider work patterns. Practical suggestions (e.g. play, reading, routines) can help fathers strengthen relationships with their children. Acknowledge small steps to reinforce engagement.
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Stay Professionally Curious Professional curiosity helps to understand fathers’ behaviours and circumstances. Consider:
Past experiences with services
Trauma, Adverse Childhood Expereinces and lived experience
External pressures (finances, substance use, bereavement – see Trio of Vulnerabilities)
Minimisation or parental alienation
Domestic Abuse (manipulation or coercive control)
Remember
Fathers may also be victims
Avoid assumptions and triangulate information. Be aware of unconscious bias and how your own experiences influence judgement. Consider factors such as age, including the additional barriers faced by young fathers.
Access the below services, resources and documents to find more support for Dads
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Dad Matters Access Service
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Essential guides for Dads Dad Pad
Evidence-based papers and research
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Gov.ukFind out more
A literature review: Shared care, fathers’ involvement in care and family well-being outcomes .
Research report prepared by Heejung Chung, School of Social Policy, Sociology and Social Research, University of Kent
Jan 2021 -
BMJ JournalsFind out more
Paediatrics Research
Father involvement in early child-rearing and behavioural outcomes in their pre-adolescent children: evidence from the ALSPAC UK birth cohort -
University of KentFind out more
Literature review of shared care, father’s involvement in care and family well-being outcomes
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Research in PracticeFind out more
A briefing for child and family social workers and their frontline managers.
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Dept. for Health and Social CareFind out more
Men’s health: a strategic vision for England
