Fathering the Future Forum
(March 1998, Christchurch)
On March 25, 1998, the first forum on fatherhood in New Zealand was held at Christchurch Boys High School, initiated by former Children's Commissioner the late Laurie O'Reilly and opened by Governor-General Michael Hardie-Boys. The results are summarised in a 6 page special edition of Father&Child containing excerpts from the most important keynote speeches, reports from the workshops, and analysis. No other proceedings have been published from the main forum.
A separate youth forum on fatherhood was held on 27th March 1998. The report "Youth Forum: Fathering the Future" is available from : Christchurch City Council, Children's Advocate,PO Box 237, Christchurch.Ph (03) 379 1660.
Excerpt:
"There was little disagreement between fathers and the many female community workers who attended. The awareness that men need to be included more in parenting and that present services and institutions are not necessarily geared for this challengewas already very high.
"Most of the workshops reported back to the forum on very similar lines. The workshop "Fathers in the Workplace" found significant obstacles put in the way of men who needed time off for their families or who try to negotiate shorter working hours. It was generally felt that in the minds of employersmen'sfirst commitment shouldbe to their company."
Articles Presented:
- "Fathering the Future" - A Success (Lead Article)
- Family Law Forum (by Stuart Birks, Centre for Public Policy Evaluation, Massey University)
- Fathers, Families, Futures: A Population Perspective (keynote speech by Ian Pool, Professor of Demography, Waikato University)
- Pigs, Heroes or Wimps (keynote speech by Paul Callister, independent social and economic researcher).
- "Fathering the Future"...Where to Now?(analysis by Harald Breiding-Buss, Coordinator Father&Child Trust (Christchurch))