CYP Now - Parental Involvement and its Effects on Children’s Education

Evidence shows parental engagement in children’s learning at home is critical to a child’s education and development. But most research to date has focused on mothers or parents in general, so less is known about how fathers affect their children’s education. This study by the University of Leeds, University of Manchester and the Fatherhood Institute set out to explore the relationship between fathers’ involvement in childcare and children’s educational outcomes as they progressed through primary school.

The researchers recommend fathers carve out time for interactive activities with their children each week. Picture: Mediteraneo/Adobe Stock

Report: Parental Involvement and its Effects on Children’s Education

Published by: University of Leeds, September 2023

Researchers analysed data on just under 5,000 mother-father households in England from the Millennium Cohort Study, which followed children born from 2000 to 2002. Parents were asked about their involvement in activities with their child such as reading, drawing and playing indoors and outdoors. The team linked this information to primary school test scores for children at age five and seven. They also surveyed 250 fathers and ran focus groups with fathers and organisations that work with parents.

The study found fathers’ involvement in childcare has a unique and important effect on the educational outcomes of children – over and above the effect of mothers’ involvement. Dads who regularly drew, played and read with their three-year-olds helped their children do better at school by age five. Dads being involved at age five also helped improve scores in seven-year-olds’ Key Stage Assessments.

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