Enhancing father involvement by increasing flexibility: Meeting fathers halfway

Abstract

The role of fathers in families has rapidly evolved over the past few decades, such that fatherhood today looks very different to previous generations. Today, fathers who are present, loving and involved are known to markedly improve outcomes for children, families and themselves (Allen and Daly, 2007;Rollè et al., 2019;Sarkadi et al., 2008). By contrast, the detrimental effects of an absent father on children and parents is well documented (e.g. Bradshaw et al., 2002). Fathers can play a unique role in their child's development, health and wellbeing, yet they also face unique pressures. Around the world, there are high rates of family breakdown, loneliness, there is a mental health crisis and families are often both financially and time poor (e.g. Boss, 2002). A recent survey in the United Kingdom indicates 90% of parents are concerned for their child's future, 66% are struggling with cost of living and 63% have mental health concerns (UNICEF UK, 2024). How fathers adapt and respond to these stressors is vital for supporting their families and themselves. Yet they cannot be solely responsible for this transition: families, institutions and social structures also need to adapt and meet fathers halfway.Parenting has traditionally functioned along gender lines: men more often assumed the role of breadwinners and modelled traditional sex roles, playing less of a direct role in childcare (Lamb, 2000). Sex-based differences were assumed to underly these roles, and this delineation was argued to complement and play to the respective strengths of fathers and mothers (e.g. Rajhans et al., 2019). For example, stereotypical male traits of self-reliance, emotional control and risk taking were considered better suited to providing rather than caregiving. Despite greater levels of equality, men continue to do more paid work and women do more of the caring (e.g. Baxter, 2023). In previous generations, children were also supported by a 'village': an extended social network helped raise children and support families. Yet the pressures faced by modern families challenges these assumptions and social structures: for example, in Australia a high proportion of marriages end in divorce (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2023a), one in five Australians experience mental health problems over a year (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2023b), many families face financial strain