‘Storydads’ celebrate active fatherhood for Father’s Day

There’ll be a special day for fathers this Saturday at the Scottish Storytelling Centre, giving dads the chance to share their experiences and challenges of parenting with each other – and to learn and practice the skills to become ‘storydads’, able to share their own and other stories with their children to build and strengthen the bond between them.

 
Storytelling for Father’s Day is free and open to all dads, with or without their children, as well as people who work with fathers in a supportive role. Workshops will look at what it means to be a dad, and what support, advice and help is available for fathers, along with storytelling ideas and techniques that can help dads make the best of their own skills and interests when talking to or sharing with their children.
 
Prestonpans storyteller Tim Porteus came up with the idea for the day and will lead the event with fellow storytellers James Spence and Michael Williams. Live music, arts and crafts will also be on offer to parents and children.
 
Tim Porteus said: “Storytelling can be a really powerful way for dads to bond with their children, particularly for dads who have problems over access or who don’t see much of their children. It can be hard for men to find space to spend time with their children, and many dads welcome the chance to build confidence in talking to and building a relationship with them.”
 
Kat Allen, Policy Officer at Children in Scotland and author of the report Making the Gender Equality Duty Real for Children, Young People and their Fathers, said: “The role dads have with their children is changing as society expects men to be more actively engaged as parents, and men themselves increasingly want to be more involved with their children – as fathers, not just as breadwinners. But for many men, there is little support to help them develop the confidence to fulfil this role: many services still focus primarily on mothers as the main carer. Gender equality can’t progress without supporting shared parenting – and this event is a great opportunity to do that.”
 

1. Storytelling for Father’s Day takes place at the Scottish Storytelling Centre on Saturday 18 June, 11am to 4pm. It is free of charge. Storytelling/craft activities are open to everyone, but the two workshops ‘Challenges of Fatherhood’ and ‘Being a Storydad’ are for dads and those who support them only.
2. Children in Scotland has published a new national resource for professionals who provide antenatal education and support for fathers and male partners under the project Making the Gender Equality Duty Real for Children, Young People and their Fathers. The Dads2B Resource, produced in partnership by NHS Lothian, NCT (National Childbirth Trust), West Lothian Sure Start, Children in Scotland and Fathers Network Scotland, is available free online at www.childreninscotland.org.uk/docs/13302Dads2bResource_A-2.pdf or on CD ROM from [email protected].
3. Children in Scotland is the longstanding national agency for the whole of the children’s sector, reaching over 250,000 individuals through our extensive membership of more than 450 statutory agencies, voluntary sector organisations, professional associations and community groups. For further information visit www.childreninscotland.org.uk.
4. The Scottish Storytelling Centre is the national body for the support and development of the storytelling artform. For further information visit www.scottishstorytellingcentre.co.uk.