And we now move to the short debate. I call on Nick—. [Interruption.] If you are going out the Chamber, can you go, please, quickly, or I shall ask you to stay and listen to the short debate? I now will call Nick Ramsay to speak on the topic he has chosen. Nick Ramsay.

Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. Can I firstly say that I started planning this short debate before my own paternal situation changed, so I'm not motivated purely by self interest in bringing some of these issues to this Chamber today?

I principally want to talk to you today about the Dads Can project in south-east Wales, which I first became aware of when I visited Monmouthshire Housing Association's headquarters earlier this year and got the chance to meet the excellent, dedicated staff based there. One of those, Katie Double, the Dads Can co-ordinator, introduced me to the project, its hopes, its aims and its success story. Katie is a passionate advocate for fathers everywhere and I know that there are—I can see you waving, yes—other members of the Dads Can team from Monmouthshire housing in the gallery today, so thank you for coming. Can I also say that this isn't about down-playing at all the necessary support that is out there for mothers? It's about filling a gap in support services where we think a gap exists. With statistics demonstrating that three quarters of suicides are by males, one in three children grow up without a father, divorce rates cost every taxpayer approximately £1,500 a year, and 15-year-olds are today more likely to have a smartphone than a father at home, Dads Can goes a long way in supporting families to become more stable and more cohesive.

The project primarily aims to address the gender inequalities experienced by dads through helping them to achieve a brighter future and to become positive role models in their children's lives. Dads Can reduces the impact of traumatic events experienced by families. Adverse childhood experiences create an increased risk to children's future development, and therefore the project focuses on breaking this generational cycle through emotional support and embedding positive behavioural change. The project uses a coaching approach to support dads in identifying solutions to problems they face such as low self esteem, mental ill health, relationship breakdown, access to children and negative lifestyle choices. A network of support has been created through peer mentoring, role modelling, advocacy and brokering relationships with local support providers. They also provide advice and guidance and opportunities to access family enrichment programmes.

Times are changing: traditional modes of masculinity have been replaced in favour of a more equal society. However, in many spheres, the role of fatherhood has too often been overlooked. Through providing support in non-judgmental and safe environments, dads are able to open up and discuss their problems, which they may not feel comfortable addressing in other fora. Now, as a result of services being often understandably mother-focused, some dads can feel isolated during their child's early years, so it's no surprise to find that a quarter of fathers experience depression in the first year, which almost always goes undiagnosed. Early years services are predominantly provided by females, creating a female-orientated environment—again, understandable in many respects, but this does mean that some dads find it difficult stepping into that environment. Dads Can's work of co-delivering some of these sessions means that dads have had effective engagement in these programmes.

The project works in partnership with a local law firm, which has provided over £30,000 pro bono legal advice and representation to fathers in my constituency in south-east Wales. A quarter of fathers involved have gained or improved access to their children over the past year thanks to the initiative. Dads Can has received queries from across south Wales and even as far as London. What's become obvious is that, when fathers feel that they have nowhere else left to turn, they often turn to Dads Can. Just to go through some of the statistics—only a few: 94 per cent of dads have reported they feel more confident and better supported because of the scheme; 84 per cent feel that they have a better ability to influence their futures and manage change; and 79 per cent have now effectively engaged with other providers due to the intervention of the project at Monmouthshire Housing. 

The work not only provides a helping hand to fathers and their families, but much time is also spent running peer mentoring group sessions in the community, supporting other initiatives such as developing forest school sites, doing tasks such as gardening for the community, and also restoring historical woodland areas, such as dry stone walling, for instance, in the Wye Valley. In fact, on my most recent outing with the team, I was with a group of dads and their children who were planting bedding plants at a farm just outside Abergavenny. I even did end up doing a little bit of gardening myself, although, because I was in a suit, it did look highly inappropriate and, dare I say, a bit naff. If you're wondering why I had stains when I came into the Assembly afterwards, it was from my gardening experience. Next time, I shall go equipped with jeans and wellington boots.

Here are a few things that dads and partners have had to say about the scheme. Dawn Moore, first of all, from integrated family support services:

'I found Dads Can a very useful project for fathers who do not know where to start with support and are often reluctant to engage with support. Having a service dedicated to dads helps overcome stigma, it supports them to link up with other services, and ultimately can only help in supporting them to be better fathers for their children.'

Kay Perrott, from ETLP solicitors:

'Without a project like this many fathers are left with nowhere to turn and without the vital support that they desperately need.'

And dad, Ben Beynon, he said:

'This organisation means so much to me. If it wasn’t for Dads Can I wouldn’t have anyone to talk to in confidence for support morally and emotionally.'

The scheme has been recently recognised for the difference its progress has made across the Gwent area through being selected as a finalist for the UK housing award 2018 in the category of outstanding approach to equality and diversity. In fact, this debate was postponed from its previous scheduled slot, because I know the whole team were in London for that event, having been nominated for that. So, that was the reason why it was postponed. ITV news also recently covered the story and I was pleased to give an interview to them about my experiences talking to the team and also talking to the dads who have received so much support from it.

So, the project has gone from strength to strength in a very short space of time. It's been an immense success story to date, and I've been pleased to be involved with it, but what of the future? And this is where you come in, Minister. As well as already having spoken to you about the scheme—'Oh no', he says—up until now, I know you've been positive towards it. There are a couple of things I'd like to ask you in concluding this short debate. The funding for the project comes to an end early next spring. There is an application for a successor programme in the pipeline, called Family Man—not Family Guy, I hasten to add, but Family Man. That, I think, is already looking like it will be a very positive project for the future and an excellent successor to what we've seen hitherto. So, Minister, can I ask you to look favourably on successor programmes to projects like Dads Can so that the positive benefits of the past two years can be preserved moving into the future? 

Also, I think it would be beneficial if the Welsh Government looked at ways of building on the good practice that's been achieved and developed in my neck of the woods, so that other areas of Wales may also benefit from these types of projects, successor projects and similar schemes, whatever form other parts of Wales may want to look at implementing. 

In conclusion, Presiding Officer, I've been very pleased to be involved with this project to date. I very much hope it's success will continue and we can go on providing dads in Monmouthshire and across Wales with the support they and their children need now and in future. 

I didn't hear you indicate a minute to anybody. Did you propose a minute to somebody? 

Yes—Neil McEvoy. I'll still give him a minute of the debate.

Neil, okay. Yes. Neil McEvoy, then, a minute. 

Thanks. Yes, I'd just like to congratulate those involved with the project up there and also Nick for raising this as a short debate. I think there are huge gaps in provision. I get men in my office traumatised by many events that they go through. There is no provision for those men, especially those who are victims of domestic abuse because there's just nowhere for them to turn. Many of them are excluded from their children's lives. Schools will routinely exclude dads—routinely—they won't get school letters, they don't know when the concerts are, they don't know when parents evening happens. Equally, doctors surgeries will routinely exclude men and refuse them information on their children, and some A&Es have done that as well. This is all factual, based on actual casework and experience. There's a lot of, I would say, institutionalised discrimination against dads.

I'll say this now with a very personal comment about me being a dad as well. I grew up in the 1970s on a council estate and I was the only brown face around in those days, and I got very used to being called certain things and being treated in a certain way. And in my adult life, I got very accustomed to being treated, as I said, in a certain way, even in employment situations. But what I've experienced as a dad makes a whole lifetime of racism pale into insignificance with the discrimination that I've faced by simply wanting to be a father. So, I'm really glad that Nick has brought this up. I would thank, actually, those up there campaigning and carrying out these kinds of projects.

These kinds of projects are crying out for funding and you've got other charities, like Both Parents Matter; they do great work. We need to start to discuss this issue of the value of fathers and the ability for dads to play roles in their children's lives without the prejudice that I sometimes encounter in this building. Thanks. 

Can I now call the Minister for Children, Older People and Social Care, Huw Irranca-Davies?

Thank you very much, Deputy Presiding Officer, and thank you, Nick, too. I'm pleased to respond to this short debate. One of the pleasures of being children's Minister is to meet children and their parents in all parts of Wales. I know that the vast majority of parents—like myself and you too, Nick, and others—want to ensure the best possible outcomes for their children and that they work hard to support them. 

Now, the points that you've just made on the importance of supporting dads in their role were very well made. The organisation Dads Can will be pleased that they've got a champion here in this Welsh Parliament to highlight their achievements, celebrate their work in this Parliament of Wales and to advocate as well, as you've just done, for their future ambitions as well. It's lovely to have them in the gallery here this evening. 

Now, we know that parents come from many different backgrounds, cultures, beliefs—families come in many and different and varied forms. But research tells us one very important thing they all have in common is that they are the greatest influence on their children's lives. The evidence, indeed, also shows that dads who are interested and supportive of their children can make a truly positive difference to their outcomes. These children are more likely to have better language development, higher educational attainment, fewer behavioural problems and be more all-round resilient. Advances in neuroscience have shown the significance of positive stimulation and nurturing from mums and dads during the first 1,000 days of brain development. And in their school years, a dad's involvement has a big impact on a child's achievements and ambitions.

Supportive dads and mums also have a key role as a buffer against adversity. Without protective factors and the support from a strong and nurturing parent, those stressful, traumatic experiences that do occur during childhood—adverse childhood experiences, which Nick has referred to in the work of Dads Can—may cause problems both immediately early on and later throughout life.

And the couple relationship, whether, quite frankly, parents are together or apart, is also an important factor. When conflict between parents is not resolved, it can put a child's mental health and long-term life chances at risk, but we also know that where it's handled well, the adverse impacts are minimised. That's why supporting families and parenting are at the heart of our agenda as a Government. And as Members here will be aware, one of the five key priority areas in the strategy 'Prosperity for All' is early years. And key to this is the role of all parents—mums and dads. We want children from all backgrounds to have the very best start in life, to reach their potential and to lead healthy, prosperous, fulfilling lives. So, this financial year, I've committed £325,000 to support our parenting 'Give it Time' campaign, and the campaign provides good-quality information to help parents develop positive parenting skills, through the website, Facebook, the digital advertising and a range of materials. And we're not telling parents, by the way, how to raise their children; what we're doing is promoting positive parenting strategies and providing tips even on handling specific issues like toddler tantrums—we've all had them; as a parent myself—potty training, and so on and so on. And parenting support, we know, the evidence shows that it can give both mums and dads a greater understanding of child development and provide ideas of how to praise and reward their child, how to set limits, how to handle misbehaviour, and without resorting, I have to say, to physical punishment.

Supporting individuals to adopt positive parenting styles is an integral part of both our Flying Start and the Families First programmes. But, sometimes, parents are unable to live together, and we know that parental separation affects many children and their families across Wales. Private law cases involving separating parents often involve disputes over child-related arrangements—for example, where the child should live and who he or she should see. It is important that families are provided with support when parental separation occurs in order to help them remain focused on the needs of their child rather than the dispute between themselves. And the child always has to be at the centre of our concerns. We fully support the principle that a child is entitled to a meaningful relationship with both parents following family separation where it's safe and in the child's best interests. And supporting the couple relationship, whether they're together or apart, is very important. It's why it's a growing feature of our family support programmes. Last year, we provided funding to train the family support workforce so they're better able to embed parental conflict support in the wider services for families.

Now, while local authorities have responsibility for deciding the precise nature of local service delivery, we do expect them to be steered by our parenting support guidance, which places an emphasis on services that work holistically for the whole family. The focus of our guidance is not only on what parenting support to provide, but also on how it should be provided. It includes practical strategies for accommodating the particular needs of fathers. And, as Nick has outlined, they can, for a variety of reasons, be less engaged than mothers in family support, sometimes for the reasons I've outlined already. So, the guidance, therefore, gives practitioners lots of ideas for engaging fathers, which are based on published research from fathers themselves as well and from practitioners experienced in working in the field with dads. We expect local authorities to actively promote family support services to dads and support their engagement. And there are some really good examples of where they're providing dedicated groups specifically tailored to the needs of dads. So, in Swansea, for example, they have a supportive dads programme, and they have a dads community group, very much in the style, actually, of the Dads Can project that we're discussing here tonight. And recently, I congratulated Swansea on receiving a Royal College of Midwives award for their excellent Jigsaw project. It's a joint Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Local Health Board and Swansea local authority project, jointly funded through Families First and Flying Start, and it provides women and their partners, during pregnancy and until their child's third birthday, with support. It's been hugely successful in increasing, for example, rates of breastfeeding, reducing rates of smoking, and it has also reported a number of families no longer needing support from statutory services. So, it's win-wins all around.

But local authorities, Nick, have responsibility for deciding the precise nature of local service delivery, depending on local circumstances and identified needs within their own areas. So, with that in mind, and hearing the strong representations that he has made this evening, and the celebration of the work of Dads Can, I urge the Member for Monmouthshire to liaise with the local authority to understand whether Dads Can, or similar projects, could help meet the needs that they have identified in their area. 

To conclude, Deputy Presiding Officer, I want to repeat that I appreciate the importance of the work that mothers and fathers do, and that's why the Government is providing a variety of interventions to support them in delivering this crucial work. I am entirely committed to ensuring that we continue to provide the best possible services to families the length and breadth of Wales.

Thank you very much, Nick, for bringing this to the attention of the Senedd.

Thank you. That brings today's proceedings to a close. Thank you, Members.

The meeting ended at 19:30.