As reflected in Scotland’s recent National Parenting Strategy, there is growing recognition in society of the importance of dads in children’s lives. But what do children think? The Dads Project put children’s voices at the centre of the dialogue about fatherhood in Scotland today.
Children’s Parliament facilitated a programme to explore children’s views on fatherhood and the role of father figures in their lives. The Dads Project involved 50 children aged 8 to 12 from five communities around the country – the Western Isles, Aberdeen, Fife, East Lothian and Edinburgh. Between August and November 2013, children participated in a series of intensive workshops to explore fatherhood and the role of father figures in their lives through discussion, individual reflection, and a range of expressive arts. Children used a combination of drawings and digital images to create a book of mixed media portraits. These portraits illustrate their relationships with their fathers.
The Dads Project provides a foundation for continued discussion on fatherhood and creates opportunities to have new conversations with parents that build on the children’s enthusiasm, creativity and insight.
The Dads Project was supported by
