The study found:
- fathers were involved in a diverse range of services, programs and activities across the SFCS
- there were a number of sociocultural, service and other factors that acted as barriers to fathers' access to services and vice versa
- services that were most successful at engaging with fathers were those that were specifically tailored for men and were exclusive to fathers.
While service providers acknowledged ongoing challenges in engagement, they had put in place strategies to improve father participation. These included:
- introducing flexible hours of operation
- employing male facilitators
- developing father-specific services
- marketing services to men in male spaces
- using male-friendly language and advertisements
- creating service venues where men felt comfortable.