Working with male carers to reduce non-accidental injury to infants under 1 year old

Service and practice models
June 20, 2023

Working with male carers to reduce non-accidental injury to infants under 1 year old

Highlights

This briefing paper outlines information to support safeguarding partners in reviewing their current policies on working with male carers. Recommendations for safeguarding partnerships are:

focus on interventions with the strongest evidence bases
look at increasing engagement and addressing barriers with fathers and male carers
identify and develop a strategy to address current barriers to the uptake of services for fathers and male carers
collect data on fathers and male carers

Future research should focus on fathers and male carers across demographically diverse groups.

Briefing

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Summary

This is a joint briefing from the Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel (the Panel) and Foundations – What Works Centre for Children & Families. It shares information arising from work undertaken by the Panel and Foundations with safeguarding partners and those working in child protection.

Aims

The aim of this briefing is to support safeguarding partners in reviewing their current policies on working with male carers, and to make recommendations on how the evidence base and national guidelines can be further developed.

Method

This paper explores current practice and the evidence base relating to working with fathers to reduce non-accidental injury (NAI) in infants under 1 year old. It builds upon work that Foundations was commissioned to carry out by the Department for Education, and the previous work of the Panel.

Implications for Policy

The evidence and practice review found that:

Safeguarding Partnerships should focus on offering interventions with the strongest evidence base
Safeguarding Partnerships should examine how their service offer increases engagement with fathers and male carers
Safeguarding Partnerships should identify and develop a strategy to address current barriers to the uptake of services for fathers and male carers
Safeguarding Partnerships should record specific data on fathers and male carers

Implications for future research

Future research should build upon existing and ongoing studies
Research with a specific focus on fathers and male carers across demographically diverse groups is needed

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Working with male carers to reduce non-accidental injury to infants under 1 year old