Contemporary Fathering: Theory, Policy and Practice

Acknowledgements

One: Introduction
Locating service provision issues within contemporary political developments
Locating this book: theoretically (and political) speaking 
Aims and structure

Two: The contemporary context
Introduction
Change, continuity and diversity
Work and care
Fathers are doing what?
Fathers, violence and abuse
A brief look at the implications for practice
Conclusion

Three: The historical context
Introduction
Images, roles, responsibilities
From rights to duties to responsibilities: fathers ‘unmade’
Conclusion

Four: Freud and his legacy
Introduction
The ‘daddy’ of them all
It’s ready mummy who counts
‘Return’ to the father
The feminist return to mummy and daddy, or maybe not?
Recent developments in ‘mainstream’ psychoanalysis: refinement and critique 
Poststructuralists: deconstructing the father?
Conclusion

Five: Psychological perspectives
Introduction
The background
Developmental psychology: truth or norm?
The child, the mother and attachment anxieties
The ‘role’ of the father in child development: beyond developmental psychology
Impact of father involvement on children
‘Critical’ psychologies
Conclusion

Six: Sociological perspectives
Introduction
The ‘role’ of the father
Sociology and family journeys
Family practices and intimacy: what about fathers?
Sociology and fathers: future directions?
Conclusion

Seven: The politics of fatherhood: contemporary developments
Introduction
Categorising the politics of masculinity: where do fathers fit?
Why are men getting involved?
Decoding their calls and claims
Feminism and fathers’ groups
Discussion
Conclusion

Eight: Contemporary social policies
Introduction
Policy matters
New Labour: from welfare to investment
‘Distant’ fathers
Rights, responsibilities and fathers
Antisocial behaviour and the Respect agenda 
Child support
New Labour, fathers and the ‘democratic’ family
Some comparative insights
Conclusion

Nine: Working with fathers
Introduction
Setting the scene
Fathers Matter: round 1
Dads talk about services
Constructions of fathers, mothers and children
But what did mothers say?
Fathers Matter: round 2
Survey of education
Discussion
Reflections on Complexity in a context of denial
Conclusion

Ten: Reflections on a decade of working with fathers
Meeting fathers: a learning process
Engaging fathers: policy and practice
Conclusion

Eleven: Concluding remarks 

References
Index