The primary objective of this project is to reach out to fathers in the entire community and providing practical support so as to get them involved in the mental and physical development of their children, thus strengthen family ties in the process. In the process a platform would be created that would empower fathers to be appropriately informed of their paternal roles and their complementary leg
al rights with regards access/contact with their children as this is critical in their physical, mental and psychological developments. This approach has huge potential benefits in the long run and to say the least, would enable the fathers to serve as positive role models in the lives of their children. It has been consistently argued by various social experts that “living without a stable and positive relationship with a father could have “negative impact in terms of achievement, attainment, mental health and the quality of their relationships in later life” (Page, et. The present social norm or narrative in our communities is that there are a recorded high percentage of children and young people from lone parental backgrounds whose fathers are either estranged or disenfranchised. Seeking contact/access with their child/children but happen to find themselves at the wrong side of the legal fence. Such fathers are also encountering the daunting task of struggling to come to terms with their own past Undoubtedly, this has been one of the overriding features of absentee fathers that results to gang culture based on their reckless approach to shoulder their inherent and parental responsibilities (Reynolds, 2009). This situation has provoked multiple concerns given the staggering statistics of fathers that have no contact/access with their child/children, or having children with women that already have children of their own. This has caused poor parenting, long term image problem and apathetic to a large extent. It is against this backdrop that FCS seeks to make amends as the situation is no longer sustainable. The Criminal Justice & Prison services, Drug & Alcohol services and Citizens Advice Bureau are all part and parcel of this arrangement deemed to play pivotal role so that this project can be a success story. The project would also provide services that would improve service delivery thus highlighting parenting practices such as estranged/disenfranchised fathers and their disengagement and their children, together with young people. The aforementioned services have the hallmarks of bringing people together from different agencies and sectors on the basis of their skills and resources. In total, the project would provide support and also enhance father-child relationships, coupled with proactively keeping abreast with the activities of the various organizations in order to ensure consistency and avoid duplication in the process. Working in partnership with Children and family services sector can underpin better working relationship amongst the available services and fathers in need, and this in the end would ensure that the decisions taken concerning child/children child are done in his/her best strategicshared interest, based on the sound foundation that the child’s emotional, psychological and material well-being would be holistically explored and readdressed with time. On this basis potential problems can be identified and preventative measures put in place rather than leaving it too late.
