Cullen, Stephen Michael, Cullen, Mairi Ann, Band, Susan, Davis, Liz and Lindsay, Geoff. (2010) Supporting fathers to engage with their children's learning and education : an under-developed aspect of the Parent Support Adviser pilot. British Educational Research Journal, Vol.37 (No.3). pp. 485-500. ISSN 0141-1926

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Abstract

The Parent Support Adviser (PSA) role, piloted in 2006-2008 in 20 Local Authorities (LAs) in England, offered preventative and early intervention support to families where there were concerns about children‟s school attendance or behaviour. Overall, this was a highly successful initiative in terms of supporting parental engagement with their children‟s schools. However, this article presents evidence drawn from 162 interviews (with PSAs, their line managers and coordinators in 12 case study LAs) showing that there was one key area in the PSA pilot that was less successful – the engagement of fathers. The article examines views about how to engage fathers and of the barriers explaining the overall absence of fathers from the PSA project. It highlights the dissonance between policy and practitioner guidance on the one hand and practice on the other with regard to the relative failure to engage fathers with this important initiative.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > HQ The family. Marriage. Woman
Divisions:	Faculty of Social Sciences > Centre for Educational Development, Appraisal and Research (CEDAR) Faculty of Social Sciences > Institute of Education
Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH):	Great Britain. Dept. for Children, Schools and Families, Father and child -- Great Britain, Education -- Parent participation -- Great Britain, Parenting -- Study and teaching -- Great Britain
Journal or Publication Title:	British Educational Research Journal
Publisher:	Routledge
ISSN:	0141-1926
Date:	15 March 2010
Volume:	Vol.37
Number:	No.3
Page Range:	pp. 485-500
Identification Number:	10.1080/01411921003786579
Status:	Peer Reviewed
Publication Status:	Published
Access rights to Published version:	Restricted or Subscription Access
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URI:	http://wrap.warwick.ac.uk/id/eprint/2934

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