Caring Dads - helping Dads do better so children and partners are safer
About Caring Dads
In Australia, there are few services helping men who have used violence that specifically focus on improving parenting practices.
Caring Dads is Australia’s first evidence-based behavior-change program helping fathers who have used violence to improve their relationship with their children.
Caring Dads supports better parenting practices and a reduction in violence to enhance the safety and wellbeing of children. It seeks to develop fathers’ ability to engage in respectful, non-abusive parenting with the mothers of their children. The program recognises the importance of making fathers equally accountable for their behaviour and for their children’s wellbeing — a role that is often assigned to women as protectors of their children.
Impact of Caring Dads
Caring Dads is part of a set of complex measures to address family violence and works collaboratively with service pathways and providers to enhance the safety and wellbeing of children. A three-year pilot program commenced in 2017, made possible through a $1m grant from Gandel Philanthropy and $4.6m investment by the Victorian State Government.
Evaluation of the Caring Dads program trial
In an evaluation of the trial conducted by the University of Melbourne, the Caring Dads program has been shown to:
- have a positive impact on fathers’ parenting and co-parenting practices
- reduce the risk of children’s further exposure to domestic and family violence
- increase fathers’ ability to identify the impact of their aggressive behaviour on their children and improve men’s responses to people more generally.
A summary of the evaluation is available to download (PDF)
Full report - University of Melbourne (PDF)
Participating in Caring Dads
Participating in Caring Dads is voluntary and the program is currently at full capacity. Enquiries can be made through our Intake & Engagement team can be contacted on: 9450 0900 or via: intake@kidsfirstaustralia.org.au