Harnessing new fatherhood initiative in ECD contexts: A necessary family-school synergy for achieving social transformation in South Africa?

Abstract

Recent studies which highlight the benefits of father participation in early childhood development (ECD) coincide with an era of ‘father starved’ children, especially in developing nations. This paper presents findings from an interview study of ten fathers in one township in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa, which investigated strategies to encourage fathers’ participation in ECD. The data was analysed using qualitative content analysis method. The findings suggest that the participants embrace the new fatherhood initiative, which encourages fathers to play more caring roles toward their children. The findings also highlight the need for multi-stakeholder collaborations between families, schools, governing bodies and civic organisations. Employing the ecological model as a theoretical lens, the paper argues that fathers are instrumental in forging home-school collaborations at the micro-systemic level. The paper concludes that the new fatherhood initiative is critical in synergising home-school partnerships as a gateway for achieving social transformation.