Joint working: Family-friendly services: do yours pass the Dad Test?

It is a year since the government launched its Think Fathers campaign, encouraging children and family services to consider becoming more father-friendly. But now the Fatherhood Institute, the organisation tasked with delivering the campaign, wants to start turning thoughts into action.

This month, the institute will launch the Dad Test, a comprehensive self-assessment form for service providers that will help them identify what they can do to engage more with fathers. The questions in the test will be applicable to a range of services from childcare to health visiting.

The campaign group is keen to ensure the test is taken seriously and will be sending out guidance to all directors of children's services and parenting commissioners. There will also be government-funded regional events to push the agenda. "We want local authorities to start the self-assessment process through the Dad Test," says deputy chief executive David Bartlett. "We also want them to consider how new services can have a father-inclusive strategy in place."