We're thrilled to share the significant strides we've made in the past year, thanks to the support of dedicated partners and committed individuals. Our North Ayrshire Social Care Partnership Dads Support Service has been instrumental in empowering fathers and strengthening families throughout the community.

Feedback

Dad - “Ryan listens to me and understands what I’m trying to say and then helps me to figure out what I need to do. He never tells me what to do or judges me for the decisions I make, I’ve not had that before.”

Dad - “When i first was looking after my son I felt isolated because there’s lots of mother and baby or mother and toddler groups and there’s not many gorups out there for dads. I was dead down and depressed. When I got introduced to Dads Rock they started getting us into a wee dads group, talking to us and there’s a WhatsApp group there to support you so if you need a wee bit of advice if your kids having problems with behaiour or stuff all the dads there are great. Everybody in Dads Rock is great and it’s really helped me so much and I no longer feel isolated.’

Mum - “Being able to go somewhere where you don't feel like the minority in a room full of mums and having WhatsApp chats etc to build community, I think has been great for *my partner’s* mental health and that obviously reflects in how he parents *the baby*. I know he can't wait to go on trips with the other dads/kids when she's a little bigger. I love that there's an opportunity to bond just the 2 of them and it will give them experiences together. From my point of view, the confidence *my partner* has, has in turn increased my confidence in him - from a man who'd never been around a baby to the most competent and capable dad I've ever met, I can completely relax when I can't be with them as I know he's got it handled which is massively important to my mental health”

Health Visitor – “Since your involvement with one of my families there has been significant improvements with both parents' confidence and independence. Dad has finally been able to have his own voice and he appears to trust in you to discuss any issues which may be troubling him. In relation to partnership working I feel that your open and honest communication has allowed for all services involved to ensure the best outcomes for the family. I think without your involvement and support with this family that their outcomes wouldn't have been so positive.”

Key Achievements:

Engaged Families: We've connected with 60 families with various levels of engagement.
Holistic approach: We've successfully referred 30 families to essential services.
Bespoke Support: We've provided over 180 personalised support sessions in the last 6 months.
Community Engagement: We've hosted 36 group sessions and 5 inclusive family events.
Peer Support: Our nurturing WhatsApp community has grown to 35 members.

Positive Impact:

Recognition and Awards: Our innovative approach has earned recognition at national and local levels.
Empowered Families: We've witnessed transformative changes in families, such as overcoming financial abuse and gaining independence.
Strong Partnerships: We've forged strong collaborations with various organizations, including health visiting, early years support, social work, and more.
Positive Feedback: Families have expressed gratitude for the support and guidance provided.

Looking Ahead:

We're committed to expanding our reach and impact. We're excited to welcome a new team member to extend our services to Irvine. We're also working to strengthen our partnerships with antenatal services to provide support from the earliest stages of parenthood.

Supporting dads is a fundamental aspect of equality and inclusion. By empowering fathers, we are seeing that the positive impact goes beyond the men supported by this service. When dads are supported to thrive, so too do children, mums, partners and the wider community.