Fathers and male carers, of all kinds and in all situations, are important to the development, well-being and life chances of children, yet children and family services still have difficulty engaging fathers, and many fathers feel that these services are not for them.

On the day after International Men’s Day, this conference will examine how best to make services relevant and able to involve fathers positively in their children's lives, how to make the National Parenting strategy fit for fathers and their children and what we really need to do to listen effectively and respond to what real dads want.

• Making the National Parenting strategy fit for fathers and their children and making it work on a local level
• Listening and responding to what real dads want
• Including and reaching out to fathers and male carers
• Understanding new kinds of fatherhood and family
• Balancing the demands of work and fatherhood

• Chair: David Drysdale, Fathers Network Scotland
• Hilary Third, Scottish Government lead on the National Parenting Strategy
• Dr Jan Peeters, University of Ghent, Belgium
• Thomas Lynch, Founder, Dads Rock
• Ian Maxwell, Families need Fathers Scotland
• Scott Marshall, One Parent Families Scotland
• Michelle Davidson, NHS Lothian
• Roger Olley MBE, Sector specialist Father and male inclusion