Keeping Kids in Mind is a 5 week program for separated fathers who are experiencing on-going conflict. The program is designed to assist parents to see through their children’s eyes the experience of parental separation and develop greater understanding about how to support children following family separation. These sessions are facilitated by qualified and experienced counsellors.
Search Results for "dads"
Circle of Security® Parenting™ for Dads
This 8-week series focuses on supporting and strengthening parent-child relationships, by guiding you through new ways to understand and respond to your children’s behaviour.
Country Dads’ SMS service
Information, resources and tips for Country Dads sent via SMS or EMAIL.
For dads with newborns, receive 12 messages over 12 weeks.
Currently unavailable – for more information please call 9368 9342
DadsWA
DadsWA
DadsWA was established in 1999 to deliver services and support for fathers, with a particular focus on the early years. DadsWA staff have 25 years of combined experience in working with and supporting fathers.
DadsWA emphasises the importance of fathers being an active and engaged part of the parenting team and the benefits this brings for child development.
Much of our work is centered on the early years and we provide regular online sessions for fathers-to-be and a three-week program for new dads. Information on upcoming sessions can be found here – www.ngala.com.au/all-workshops/workshops/
We also provide information and referrals for dads and mums seeking support for fathers through contact with services and groups. Parents seeking information can contact our Ngala Parenting Line on 08 9368 9368 or DadsWA – [email protected]
Through the work mentioned above, DadsWA has contact with over 500 fathers each year, as well as numerous service providers, and has gained a wealth of knowledge on the needs of today’s fathers and the services available to them.
DadsWA is seeking input from fathers/father figures who can draw on their lived experience to help us ensure we are meeting the parenting needs of fathers as best we can. If you are interested in being a part of this, please email [email protected]
Online Tips, Resources & Information for Dads
Click on the links below to access:
Why Fathers Matter
The Fathering Project – New Fathering Research
Karitane – Dads make a difference
Websites for Fathers
Raising Children – Fathers
Podcasts
Pop Culture Parenting – One paediatrician dad and one “developing” dad
Radio/Podcasts – Maggie Dent – Including The good enough dad
How Dads Dad – Hamish Blake
Apps for Dads
Milkman app on Google Play – for new and expectant dads
Milkman app on Apple – for new and expectant dads
Ready to COPE – Free pregnancy app and app for new parents
Bright Tomorrows – Building brains app from the Telethon Kids Institute
Raising Children – Raising healthy minds app.
Agencies with Programs/Support for Fathers
Relationships WA
The Fathering Project
Anglicare Menstime
Workshops/Programs for Dads and Parents
Programs for NW Metro (Perth and Northern Suburbs)
Shire of Mundaring, City of Swan, Town of Bassendean and City of Bayswater
Communicare – Parenting Support Services: South East Metro
Meerilinga – Parenting Courses and Services: Southern Suburbs
Relationships WA – Courses and Workshops
Wanslea – Parenting Support Workshop
4Dads Mandurah Pinjarra – Support for fathers of children up to 18 years in the Mandurah and Pinjarra areas
Online Workshops/Programs
You’re Going to be a Dad Online – Ngala – Online workshop for Dads to be
Now You’re a Dad – Ngala – 3 week online program for new fathers. Check back for dates
Find a group session – Ngala – Workshops and sessions for parents
Online circle of security for dads – Learn new ways to understand and respond to your children’s behaviour
Birthing Dads – For expecting and new fathers
Support for Fathers – Dadstuff Workshops
SMS4dads – Receive free text messages, support, info & tips – especially for dads & dads-to-be
Parentshop – Online parenting course on guiding behaviour aimed at 2 years and above
Parentworks – Online course for dads with children 2 years and above
Familyman.movember.com – Online parenting program with dads in mind
Dads Groups
Mr Perfect – Men’s BBQs in Perth
Australian Dads Network – Opportunity to connect with other dads online
Belmont Dads Group – Meet every Sunday at Tomato Lake Playground, Belmont
The Man Walk – Men getting together to walk, talk and support
Expectant and New Dads
You’re Going to be a Dad Online – Ngala – Online workshop for dads to be
Now You’re a Dad – Ngala – Online program for new fathers
Dadspace
Parental Leave Pay – Can be shared between parents/carers
ABC Attachment – Home visiting program to support infant attachment
Nurse Practitioner Consultation Service – Ngala – Tailored care and support for your child’s health and wellbeing
Pregnancy to Parenthood Clinic – Free counselling for new and expecting parents
Rural Dads
Regional Mens Health – Health and wellbeing for rural and regional men
WA Country Health Service – Support for child development
Midwest Region
Parenting Connection WA – Supporting WA Parents – select Midwest
Child and Parent Centre – Rangeway
Centacare Family Services Geraldton
Men’s Community Intervention Service | Desert Blue Connect
Family and Domestic Violence Archives – Communicare
Gascoyne Region
Parenting Connection WA – Supporting WA Parents – Select Gascoyne
Carnarvon Family Support Service
Dads and Reading
Benefits of fathers reading to kids
Kids books about dad
Kids books starring dads
Nutrition for Children
Crunch and Sip – Tips for school lunch boxes
Parents – nom! – food bank tips
LBGTIQ+ Resources
Gay Dads WA
Living Proud – Promoting the wellbeing of the LGBTIQ+ community in WA
Rainbow Families – A voice for LGBTQ+ families and their children
Grandparent and Kinship Carers
Wanslea Grandcare
Grandparents Rearing Grandchildren
Support for Grandparent Carers – Family Tax Benefit – Services Australia
Australia-wide services for grandparent carers and kinship carers
Phone: 1800 245 965
TTY: 1800 810 586 (for callers with hearing or speech impairment)
Raising Children – Grandparent and kinship carers: services
Young Fathers/Parents
Ngala Program for Young Parents – Rockingham
Young Parents Support Service – Gosnells
Teen Family Centre – Balga High School
Brave Foundation – support for expecting and parenting teens
For Dads – SMS4dads
CaLD/Multicultural Dads
Ishar – supporting women and families from refugee and migrant backgrounds
Multicultural Services Centre WA – supporting culturally and linguistically diverse Western Australians
The Fathering Project – Getting support as a CaLD father
Mental Health and Wellbeing
ForWhen Helpline – Mental health support for expectant and new parents (inc dads)
Beyond Blue
PANDA – Dads mental health and wellbeing
New Dads – mental health
Red Nose – grief and loss support
DadSpace – Free online program to help Aussie dads to feel better
RaphaelServices – emotional support for dads
Mental health self-test – online self-test to check how you are travelling
FIFO Families
Alcohol and Other Drugs Support
Alcohol and Drug Foundation – Find a service in your local area
Turning Point – Addiction treatment, education and research
Holyoake – Specialist Alcohol and Other Drug, and Mental Health Support Service
Deadly Dads
ForWhen Helpline – Mental health support for expectant and new parents (inc dads). Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander Liaison Officers available.
Ngala – ngalang moort ngalang kurlangah
Indigo Junction – Strong Fathers
Raising Children – Indigenous dads
SMS4Dads – Deadly Dads: texts with info for you and bub
Baby Coming You Ready? Supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander parents-to-be and new parents
WellMob – Mind, body, culture online resources for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders
Disability Support
NDIS – Western Australia
Autism – Dads Support Groups
Kiind – Navigate the world of disability
Carers WA
Separated Dads
Lifeline – Support for separated parents
Lifeline – Workshop
Relationships WA – Fathering After Separation
dadsindistress – Support for separated dads
Emerging Minds –Resources for separated parents
Crisis Support/Information for Men
Mensline – telephone and online counselling for men
Mens Family Violence Helpline
Lifeline – 24-hour crisis support
Loss and Bereavement
Lionheart Camp For Kids – Support for children and families to navigate grief
Men’s Grief Support Library – Knowledge shared by grief counsellors
Men and abortion – How to support a partner and how you might feel about it
Dads Who Are Grieving – SMS4dads
High-risk Pregnancies and Premature Births
Tiny Sparks WA – For high-risk pregnancies and babies born premature or sick
Helpinglittlehands – supporting and empowering families of premature and sick babies
NICU Dads Messages – SMS4dads
Information and Referrals for Dads
Fathers/mothers and others looking for information about dads groups, workshops and courses for dads, or just tips and support for parenting – email [email protected]
Just for dads
Dads and father figures play a unique and important role in children’s development. As a new dad, it’s important you are involved in getting to know your baby and contributing as an equal partner in the parenting team from the start.
With all that is happening with a new baby, there are two important points for all dads to remember:
- Support and work with your partner as part of the parenting team; and
- Bond with your new baby.
The parenting team
Each parent brings something unique and important to parenting and to children’s development. The best parenting happens when parents work together as a team and support each other.
At this time, when your baby is very young, your partner will be totally focused on baby’s needs and will need lots of support. Remember:
- Try to understand the challenges that your partner is facing
- Do your share around the house (of course!)
- Give lots of encouragement and praise
- Spend lots of time getting to know baby (bathing, changing, feeding) and developing your confidence
- Offer your partner self-care time as you spend time with your baby
- Recognise you have an important role to play as a parent
- Take care of yourself as well as your partner.
Understanding what new mums are experiencing
- Expectations: It is easy to think that new mums already have all the skills to be a parent. But, just like you, they have to learn as they go along, and can feel lots of pressure to do things right. Mums often feel that others (other mums, parents, in-laws, and society) are watching and judging them, which is why your support and encouragement is so important.
- It is non–stop: Caring for a baby 24/7 is emotionally and physically draining. It is common for new mums to feel overwhelmed through lack of sleep, feeding 8 to 12 times a day, and lots of crying from baby. Help with night feeds and spend time with baby as much as you can.
- Physical changes: Along from hormonal changes, many new mums are conscious of changes to their body. This can affect their self-esteem. “Perfect” photos of new mums on social media don’t help!
- Baby blues: Many mums experience this following the birth and, although normal, this still needs your support.
- Post-natal depression (PND): Up to one in six new mums experience PND, and your role in reaching out for support is vital. Be aware of your own mental wellbeing too – fathers can also experience PND.
Bonding with baby
It may seem like your newborn baby is “not doing anything”. New dads often wonder what they should be doing with their baby.
Far from doing nothing, your baby is trying to form a relationship with you by staring at your face, seeking your response. Making eye contact with baby and communicating with your face and eyes is called ‘mutual gaze’. This forms the foundations for bonding and a lifelong relationship with your child.
Bonding hints
- Mutual gaze: Your baby will look at you seeking to make a connection. It is important that you acknowledge this by looking back. This is called “serve and return” and also affects brain development.
- Talk to and sing with your baby. Use different voices and facial expressions.
- Skin to skin contact with baby is very important so they can learn your touch, feel and smell, and so you can learn theirs.
- Reading: it is never too soon to read to your baby!
- Remember, every opportunity you have to spend with your baby is a chance to build a bond. This includes changing nappies, bathing, helping with feeding and playing and hanging out with baby.
- You may notice that you and your partner do some things differently with baby. As long as baby feels safe and loved, these differences are good for baby’s brain development.
- Settling baby: Apart from being able to breastfeed, mums have no more natural ability to bond with or settle baby than you. It just takes patience and practice. Don’t automatically hand your crying baby to your partner!
Remember, you and your partner can form strong bonds with your baby, all it takes is time and effort.
Hearing from other dads
It is important that new dads find opportunities to talk with, and hear, from other dads. There are a number of workshops and playgroups for dads, which offer a great chance to talk about fatherhood and learn new things.
There are also some great online resources to find out what other dads are saying and thinking:
Support for dads and father figures
- DadsWA and Ngala – Parenting Line (08) 9368 9368 or 1800 111 546
- Raising Children Network – Fathers
- The Fathering Project
- Beyondblue – Dadvice
- Dads@lifeline (08) 9261 4444
- MensLine 1300 78 99 78
Parenting activities
- Contact your Council for Neighbourhood Centres
- Playgroup WA for local playgroups, including playgroups with dads – 1800 171 882
- Meerilinga – Promoting Positive Childhoods
Courses for dads
- Ngala workshops
- Mensplace – Aims to support and enable men to address relationship and family issues, whether single, partnered, separated or re-partnered.
- Menstime – Anglicare’s program designed to assist, empower and educate men on a variety of issues, and develop their own self-reliance.
- The Blokes’ Book – A directory of services for men in WA
Other resources for dads
- Perth Home Dads – Facebook page
- Fathers Apart – Separated dads
- Rainbow families – Same sex parents
You’re Going to be a Dad – NWM Online
This online information session is an opportunity to join other expectant dads to explore how your baby will develop and their needs in the early days. Receive useful tips on adjusting to parenthood, supporting your partner and giving your baby the best possible start.
You’re Going to be a Dad – NWM Online
This online information session is an opportunity to join other expectant dads to explore how your baby will develop and their needs in the early days. Receive useful tips on adjusting to parenthood, supporting your partner and giving your baby the best possible start.
You’re Going to be a Dad – NWM Online
This online information session is an opportunity to join other expectant dads to explore how your baby will develop and their needs in the early days. Receive useful tips on adjusting to parenthood, supporting your partner and giving your baby the best possible start.
You’re Going to be a Dad – NWM Online
This online information session is an opportunity to join other expectant dads to explore how your baby will develop and their needs in the early days. Receive useful tips on adjusting to parenthood, supporting your partner and giving your baby the best possible start.
Our Children Our Future – Aboriginal Early Years Forum
Ngala’s Ngalang Moort Ngalang Kurlangah program recently presented the Our Children Our Future Aboriginal Early Years Forum in Midland.
The forum was an opportunity to bring together local services and organisations who work in the early childhood sector, to collaborate, network and establish pathways for working in partnership, so that Aboriginal children will thrive, are confident and successful in their early years.
Throughout the morning, guests listened to speakers on topics including transitioning to school, identifying children who may be at risk of learning challenges, support for children with developmental delays, the importance of dads and the need to support early brain development.
You can read the full list of speakers and topics here:
Transitioning to school – early childhood education – Gail Barrow – Early Childhood Specialist Teacher : Gail shared information about transitioning to school – early childhood education and the impact this has, and continues to have on Aboriginal children. Gail also shared stories from her own lived experiences.
What do school screening letters mean? Ann Carmody-Senior Speech Pathologist : Ann shared the meaning of school screening letters, explained how the screening assessment process worked, and the steps taken to identify children who may be at risk and need extra support in the classroom or further diagnosis.
Supporting Aboriginal children with Developmental Delay and/or Disability (0-7 years) – Lennett Sandy and Roma Kolatowicz – Wanslea ECA : Lennett and Roma talked about supporting Aboriginal children with Developmental Delay and/or Disability (0-7 years) and shared the NDIS funding process and criteria information.
Supporting Dads in the Early Years – Jon Blurton – Strong Father’s Program (Indigo Junction Midland) : Jon shared his life line story, who he was then to who and where he is now. John’s powerful presentation outlined his journey to overcome barriers, to become a positive role model for other Aboriginal men though the Moorditj Maaman program, located in the Midland area.
Growing Strong Brains® – Jacquie Taylor – Aboriginal Project Officer (Ngala) :
Jacquie shared with us the Growing Strong Brains® Toolkit and how it is used as a portable yarning tool to talk with families about pregnancy, early brain development and growing up strong and healthy kids.
Thank you to our wonderful speakers and supporters, including Trudy Snow for being our Emcee, Aunty Vanessa Corunna – Local Noongar Elder, for her moving Welcome to Country, and the inspiring Corroboree for Life Dance Group, whose performance reflected the confidence and pride of our young people who connect to culture through dance.
Thank you also to Marissa Verma from Bindi Bindi Dreaming who spoke about cultural/traditional Aboriginal food and flavours and provided an incredible lunch for our attendees.
Together we are supporting Aboriginal children and families to achieve positive outcomes through quality early childhood education and learning through the early years.
A huge congratulations to the Ngalang Moort Ngalang Kurlangah team on coordinating and delivering a fantastic forum for the local community.
