4TH NATIONAL MEN AND FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS FORUM

ISSUE 1

• Lack of recognition of children in domestic violence situations

• Talking about children and breaking the cycle of violence; children focussed; family focussed; CALD and Indigenous men’s issues;

RECOMMENDATIONS

• Practice model presented – focusing on early childhood

ISSUE 2

• Responsibility sits with person being violent. Historical approaches to family DV. Therapeutic element of emotional regulation to effect change. Abuse behaviour inventory

RECOMMENDATIONS

• Practice model presented
  

ISSUE 3

• Disconnect between health and men and family relationships and service delivery. Need to refine inclusive methods and approach to dads which is early intervention and promoting (not demanding) responsibility for self and others

RECOMMENDATIONS

• Provide services in spaces where clients feel comfortable and confident ie. their turf

• New dads engagement

• Child care nurses

• Fathers need to value fatherhood to prepare for success

ISSUE 4

• The need for services to be more geared towards fathers and men

• The need for greater acknowledgement of and support for the partners of those with illness

• Need for support group for dads of kids with disability

RECOMMENDATIONS

• More connection between groups/organisations and families to support each other

ISSUE 5

• Father not seen as cooking; access to shops and costs; involving kids; cooking facilities; cooking to be made simple

RECOMMENDATIONS

• Simplify cooking – no measurements; community gardens; cooking with children – let them chose the meal; community kitchens; bush tucker and CALD meals

ISSUE 6

• Use of powerful photo images of men and children are a powerful and meaningful way to support MFR men and family relationships

RECOMMENDATIONS

• The Blokes Booklet is available to use

ISSUE 7

• The need for partnerships between NGOs and CSA with its focus on the entire family

• 24% of new CSA clients who receive payments are men

RECOMMENDATIONS

• Integrate MFR programs and use the full range of CSA web based and physical booklets available

• Need for Indigenous and CALD CSA resources. Staying Connected is currently being redeveloped

ISSUE 8

• Importance of accessing men in antenatal sessions and hold specific dads sessions

• Value of specific booklets for dads that are strengths based

RECOMMENDATIONS

• Need for more resources

• Better connection of information sessions and distribution of the booklet

• Need for information on how to market these resources

ISSUE 9

• Anger management framework and FV DV prevention practices. History, current and future. DV is not a man only issue and current practice can produce zero impacts

RECOMMENDATIONS

• Need to move from personality based practice development to a systemic shift and broadening of responsibility. Skills of the facilitator is central to success, and flexibility of approaches is going to be important for meaningful impact. Couples and family therapy modalities provide strong range of options for the future.

ISSUE DV

• Drop the “all men are ….” Approach. Need to use wisdom on what changes men in the DV context. We need more family ways to deal with family violence – especially in Indigenous and CALD communities

RECOMMENDATIONS

• Wide range of programs:

  • Focus on good fathering

  • Respectful relationships program

  • use strengths based approaches

  • more experiential programs – not just treatment