Kids First (formerly Children’s Protection Society), in partnership with UnitingCare ReGen, Anglicare Victoria and IPC Health, are currently trialling and developing the Caring Dads program in Victoria, with a view to delivering the program across the state. In late 2016, our team was contracted to conduct an independent evaluation of the Caring Dads research trial. The aims of this evaluation are to build an evidence base for the effectiveness of the Caring Dads program and to investigate the process of implementing a new program within the Victorian service delivery system and the broader Australian context.

Caring Dads is a 17-week early intervention program developed in Canada by the University of Toronto and Changing Ways. The program is for fathers who have physically abused, emotionally abused or neglected their children, or exposed their children to domestic violence. Caring Dads works with fathers who have used violence in the home, to help them develop skills in child-centred fathering and take responsibility for the impacts of their violence upon their children and their children’s mother.

For more information on the Caring Dad’s program visit the Kids First Website.

Researchers: Cathy Humphreys, Kristin Diemer, David Gallant, Larissa Fogden, Anna Bornemisza, Anneliese Spiteri-Staines, Liz Vercoe, and Mary Karambilas

Funders: Gandel Philanthropy, Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Victoria

Partner: Kids First (formerly Children’s Protection Society), UnitingCare ReGen, Anglicare Victoria, IPC Health

Project Dates: 2017-2020

Contacts: Kristin Diemer, David Gallant

Publications:

Caring Dads Program: Helping fathers value their children: Three site independent evaluation 2017-2020.