Parenting Support for Fathers in Sweden: The Role of Child Health - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Parenting Support for Fathers in Sweden: The Role of Child Health Centers and Parent Support Programs for Young Children

Michael Wells, M.S., PhD Candidate

Sweden’s Family Policies

Swedish Family Policies People Environment Parent Support Programs Child Health Nurses

Child Health Environments

Study I: Child Health Centers’ Environment

Method - Semiotic Visual Analysis

• Manifest & Latent Analysis

Categories & Results

• 1. Family Centered = 8
• 2. Mother-Child Centered = 12
• 3. Child Centered = 6
• 4. Neutral = 3
• 5. Women Centered = 2
• None were Father-Child, Father-Mother,
• r Men Centered

Results of Observations

• 281 parental observations

– 82 (30%) on fathers – 199 (70%) on mothers

Mother Centered: 129 Mother-Child Centered Women Centered Non-Mother Centered: 142 Family Centered Child Centered Neutral

Results of Observations

• Within Non-Mother Environments

– Fathers played more with their children than mothers

• Between Non-Mother and Mother

Environments:

– Fathers played more with their children – Fathers read more material

• No differences for mothers

Brief Discussion of Study I

• Only 25% of environments met national

guidelines to include all family members

• Mothers didn’t differentiate behaviors
• Fathers were more involved in Non-

mother targeted environments

Study II: Child Health Nurses Views on Father Involvement

• 17 English-speaking interviews with

Child Health Nurses

• To understand Child Health Nurse’s
• pinions on involving fathers
• Systematic Text Condensation

Method - Interview Guide

1. How many years have you been a nurse at the Child Health Center? 2. What other positions have you held before coming to work at the Child Health Centers? 3. What are your job duties as a Child Health Nurse? 4. Describe parent support programs

• 5. In what ways do you

encourage fathers to visit? Mothers?

• 6. Since you became a Child

Health nurse, have you seen changes in father participation at the Child Health Centers?

• 7. What kinds of

experiences have you had with fathers? Different from mothers?

• 8. Would you like to

increase father involvement?

Nurse’s Background Father Involvement

Results

Themes Code Groups

Nurse’s Own Agenda

• The Infant’s Advocate
• Supporting parents and co-

parenting

Nurse’s Opinion about the Father’s Role

• The Fathering Role has

Changed

• Fathers are Attending the CHC

more

• Perceived Differences

between Fathers and Mothers

Nurse’s Gatekeeping

• Mothers are our Priority
• The Gate is Closed, but not

Locked

Wanting more Father Involvement

• Fathers are Worthy of Change
• Active in Involving Fathers

Brief Discussion of Study II

• CH nurses spoke about their duties
• Fathers were accepted at the CHCs

– CH nurses not active agents in involving fathers

• Limited changes to further encourage

fathers to be more involved in the CHCs

Study III: Parent Support Programs and Mother and Father Involvement

Methods

• Scales that measure characteristics of

mothers, fathers, and children

– Demographic Information – Parental Mental Health – Behavior and Emotional Problems

• 49 Participating Mothers / 164 Non-

Participating

• 18 Participating Fathers / 132 Non-

Participating

Factors that Matter for Participation: Mothers

Factors that Matter for Participation: Fathers

Mothers:

5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 .00 1.00 2.00 3.00 4.00 5.00 Did Not Participate Participated

Fathers: