Hansard

I thank John Mason for bringing this important debate to the chamber and for raising a number of important issues. I also thank other members for their thoughtful, considered and emotive speeches—I hope that I have enough time to cover everything.

Through the national parenting strategy, which we published in October, we are determined to ensure that all parents get the support that they need when they need it so that they can do their very best for their children. I hope that that gives Anne McTaggart some comfort that the strategy is truly for all parents and those in a parenting role, including the corporate parent.

It is right for us to focus on what that means for fathers. Sometimes when we talk about parents, we tend to mean mums and, perhaps unintentionally, we cut dads out of the picture. That needs to change, as I think everyone would agree. In a modern and successful Scotland, we want to encourage and support fathers in playing a much more active role in their children’s upbringing and, as Mark McDonald says, to view fathers in a much more modern way.

During our work to develop the parenting strategy, we engaged with more than 1,500 parents and carers. About 500 of them were dads, many of whom were living apart from their children. We are acutely aware of the issues that fathers face, and I thank them for giving us their time to help us develop the strategy.

In response, we have set up a fathers national advisory panel to help us consider how our policies, services and communities can become more dad friendly. That is a proactive move to provide a platform for fathers to input directly into policy. In answer to Sandra White, that group will help to dad-proof policies, and its members will include practitioners, academics and policy makers. Referring to what Mark McDonald said, we will also invite a representative with knowledge of disability and additional needs. I am delighted that Ian Maxwell from Families Need Fathers has agreed to sit on our fathers national advisory panel to ensure that we do not lose sight of the needs of fathers who do not live with their children.

I strongly believe that both parents should be involved in their child’s upbringing, as long as that is safe, practical and in the interests of the child. Generally, it is best if parents can agree on what is best for their children. Services such as family mediation can help with that, and services should appreciate the very positive role that dads can play in their child’s life.

Christine Grahame and Bob Doris raised the subject of educational barriers. My colleague Dr Allan has met representatives of Families Need Fathers to discuss those barriers against the backdrop of the Scottish Schools (Parental Involvement) Act 2006.