‘Making Gender Equality Real for Children, Fathers and Families'

‘Making Gender Equality Real for Children, Fathers and Families' continues our work on gender equality and fathers. The project has been funded by the Scottish Government’s Equality Unit until 2015.

A dedicated project website can be found at the following link

http://makinggenderequalityreal.org.uk

Project newsletters:

• October 2010
• August 2011

Briefings

Briefing Paper: How the National Parenting Strategy is shaping up for Fathers (December 2012)

Dads 2b Resource
This resource was produced for professionals providing antenatal education and support to fathers and includes engaging activities and practical teaching aids. It was produced in partnership by Children in Scotland, NHS Lothian, NCT (National Childbirth Trust), West Lothian Sure Start and Fathers Network Scotland, and launched in June 2011 at NHS Health Scotland events for the new Scottish Antenatal Parent Education Pack.

CD Rom copies are available from Children in Scotland and the resource can also be viewed in full on the Children in Scotland website. Contact scollier@childreninscotland.org.uk, 0131 222 2412 for more information and/or CD Rom copies of the Dads2b Resource (FREE while stocks last).

We are also happy to receive any feedback on the resource to the addresses above as we look to develop this work further.

Under the Equality Act 2010 the new public sector equality duty covers the 8 protected characteristics of age, disability, gender reassignment, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation. The Act places a legal obligation upon public bodies across Scotland, England and Wales to have ‘due regard’ for the need to:

• Eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation
• Advance equality of opportunity
• Foster good relations between people who share a protected characteristic and those who do not.

In order to meet this requirement in relation to gender equality, public bodies will be required to:

• Remove or minimise disadvantages suffered by women or men due to their gender
• Take steps to meet the specific needs of women or men where these differ
• Encourage women and men to participate in public life or in other activities where their participation is disproportionately low.

Specific equality duties that will apply to public authorities in Scotland will be put out to consultation later this year by the Scottish Government.

The 'Making Gender Equality Real for Children, Fathers and Families' project promotes the value and importance of involving fathers positively in their children's lives. It is well established that fathers (whether resident or non-resident, biological or de-facto, good or bad) are profoundly important to the development, wellbeing and life chances of their children.

The Public Sector Equality Duties will provide a key opportunity to challenge assumptions and ways of working which (often inadvertently) have perpetuated gender stereotyping and sexual discrimination in Scotland.      

This project seeks to move the gender equality agenda forward by encouraging all professionals and organisations providing services for children, parents and families to actively engage with men as parents and carers, and to support positive engagement by fathers as well as mothers in their children’s lives.

Wider goals of the project include:

• Reducing gender stereotyping associated with caring roles
• Reducing occupational gender segregation in professions serving children and young people
• Reducing gender stereotyping in the career and caring choices of current and future generations
• Promoting family-friendly working practices for both men and women as parents.

These aims will be achieved through monitoring and reporting on the implementation of the new Public Sector Equality Duty; and by identifying and sharing examples of good practice. Our focus for 2011-12 was on working with professionals to promote and develop good support for new and expectant dads; and on analysing shifting attitudes towards paternity/parental leave and family-friendly working policies.

The project will inform the development of practices which:

• Promote the wellbeing and life opportunities of children
• Value carers and caring roles
• Support a healthier work/life balance and increase opportunities for both men and women.

To find out more about this project, access our reports and other resources and/or to sign up for updates, please visit our website:

http://makinggenderequalityreal.org.uk

Contact details for this section:

Marion Macleod

Senior Policy and Parliamentary Officer

Telephone: 0131 222 2435

Click here to send an email