Fathers of the Next Generation: A Community-Led Approach to Developing a Culturally Relevant Parenting Program for Indigenous Fathers in Canada

Background: The positive influence of fathers on the health of their children is well-established, however the role and needs of Indigenous fathers and Two-Spirit parents is not adequately described and relevant parenting programs are lacking in Canada. Initiative: The Fathers of the Next Generation project, is a 3-phased initiative designed to understand the needs of Indigenous men and Two-Spirit parents as they transition to parenthood and develop a program to meet these needs. The parenting program will address current gaps in services in the province of Ontario, Canada and be embedded within existing program delivery by local Indigenous-led organizations. In Phase 1 we conducted interviews and discussion groups with 18 Indigenous fathers and 23 service providers. Data collection with Two-Spirit parents is ongoing. The findings are being used to scaffold the content of the parenting program being developed in Phase 2 through a series of in-person workshops. Community-Led Collaboration: This community-led approach ensures the parenting program will align with the cultures, values, and traditions of local Indigenous fathers and Two-Spirit parents. A Steering Committee, comprised of Indigenous parents, service providers, representatives from partner organizations, and researchers have collaboratively designed the project and are guiding its implementation. Results: Phase 1 findings reveal a Journey to Fatherhood consisting of five steps and the role of service providers in each: 1) Visioning fatherhood occurs as men imagine their future role as fathers, while service providers help men plan. 2) Planning for fatherhood occurs as expectant fathers learn about their new responsibilities and plan for the impending birth, while service providers help men prepare. 3) During the Birth of the baby, fathers learn about their traditional roles and how to support their partner, while service providers help fathers be present. 4) Pursuing fatherhood occurs as fathers navigate parenting a newborn with their partner while service providers promote healthy parenting. 5) Finally, Navigating fatherhood occurs as fathers negotiate what it means to father toddlers and other children, while service providers aim to protect the growing family. Learning for an International Audience: International colleagues will learn about the distinct journey to fatherhood as experienced by Indigenous men in Ontario, Canada, and the role that service providers play throughout this journey. Additionally, researchers will benefit from learning about our community-led approach as it has applicability to other community engaged work. Next Steps: Currently in Phase 2, we are actively engaged in developing a parenting program informed by Phase 1 findings through a series of community workshops. These workshops bring together parents and Indigenous community members to build a comprehensive and culturally embedded program that meets the unique needs of Indigenous fathers and Two-Spirit parents. Phase 3 includes a pilot study designed to test and evaluate the parenting program based on community-identified indicators of success. The Journey to Fatherhood represents the first exploration and understanding of Indigenous fatherhood in Canada. While relevant to the local community, this theory of the developing father likely has applicability to other fathers which can be explored in future research.