‘Dads Allowed!’ in Warwick
An organisation that’s been awarded nearly £5,000 from Warwickshire County Council’s Community Development Fund to work with parents on Warwick’s Percy and Emscote estates has set up a special scheme, just for dads!
Working in partnership with the Warwick Children’s Centre, The Gap Community and Training Centre has set up a dads club called ‘Dads Allowed!’.
Youth and Families Development Manager at The Gap, Steve McGarvey, carried out some consultation with fathers in the area and found out a lot of dads would like to attend play sessions with their toddlers but can only attend during Saturdays due to work and other commitments.
The Gap run a ‘stay and play’ session during the week, but Playworker Margaret Collins says that the sessions tend to be attended primarily by mothers and female carers.
In response to the consultation, Steve has set up a dads club aptly named “Dads Allowed!”.
Steve said: “The name was a play on the fact that play sessions for early years nearly always tend to be set up in favour of mums and so in order to address the imbalance The Gap and Warwick Children’s Centre have set up a Saturday club purposely for the dads, grandads and male carers.”
Research shows that children who get to spend time with their dads at a very early age tend to fair better in education and statistically are more likely to lead happy and fulfilling lives.
First time father Steve said: “Working with young people right up to 18 years old, I have noticed those with absent fathers often tend to struggle more with forming relationships and tend to be more at risk of engaging in anti-social behaviour.
“If services can provide more support to dads in raising their children then hopefully groups like ‘Dads Allowed’ will play an important role in helping support families in the area.”
Councillor Sarah Boad, Chair of Warwickshire County Council’s Warwick Area Committee, said: “The Gap applied to our Community Development Fund for funding to develop a project that would support and develop parents on the Percy and Emscote estates.
“The ‘Dads Allowed’ club sounds like a brilliant scheme that is enabling the Gap to engage with parents, namely dads, who don’t normally access this sort of support. So, needless to say, Warwick Area Committee is very pleased that we have been able to award this funding.”
‘Dads Allowed’ is running on Saturdays from 10.00 - 12.30, provides brunch for the dads and for the children and lots of fun activities completely free. The Gap Community Centre is at 39 Oakwood Grove, Warwick CV34 1GL.