1001 Days of Dad: Empowering Professionals to Engage Fathers in the First 1001 Days
Engaging fathers during the first 1001 days of a child’s life can profoundly impact child development, attachment, and family wellbeing. Yet many professionals report feeling under-prepared to involve dads effectively. That’s why we developed 1001 Days of Dad, a training course designed to strengthen father-inclusive practice across the children & families workforce.
We recently completed the pilot evaluation of this course, and the results are exciting.
Who Attended
Our December 2025 training reached a diverse mix of professionals across England, including:
-
Clinical staff (Psychologists, Health Visitors) – 27%
-
Family/Early Help workers – 53%
-
Community Voluntary Sector staff – 12%
-
Health Visiting staff – 7%
The session included frontline practitioners and team/operational leads (36% of attendees), highlighting the strategic importance of embedding father-inclusive practice across teams.
Transformative Results
The evaluation shows a dramatic increase in confidence across all learning areas:
| Learning Area | % Confident / Very Confident Before | % Confident / Very Confident After |
|---|---|---|
| Engaging dads | 39% | 96% |
| Recognising fathers’ impact on attachment & infant brain development | 48% | 91% |
| Awareness of paternal mental health risks | 50% | 91% |
| Identifying risk factors for relationship conflict & domestic abuse | 43% | 96% |
| Understanding systemic & social barriers affecting dads | 35% | 96% |
Participants particularly valued the 1001 Days of Dad Toolkit and practical strategies for engaging fathers, with many reporting they would now actively integrate fathers’ needs into their work.
One participant reflected:
“I lacked confidence in using tools to engage dads, so having the toolkit will make it much easier to include them in conversations.”
Feedback Highlights
-
High perceived value: The course met or exceeded expectations across professionals with varying experience levels.
-
Strong facilitation: Trainers were praised for engaging delivery and managing group discussions.
-
Demand for wider rollout: Participants strongly recommended expanding the training to more teams and services.
Challenges noted included fathers’ availability, cultural or language barriers, and organisational capacity, highlighting that embedding father-inclusive practice requires systemic as well as individual change.
You can read the full report here 1001 days of dad – pilot evaluation
Next Steps: Book the Training for Your Team
Following this positive evaluation, 1001 Days of Dad is now open for bookings. The course can be delivered to whole teams, multi-agency groups, or organisations seeking to embed father-inclusive practice at scale.
If you’re looking to strengthen how your workforce engages fathers in the first 1001 days, this training offers practical tools, evidence-backed learning, and long-term impact for families.
📩 Contact us today to book a session for your team: caroline@foxstones.com
