Dads in Focus
Every father wants the best for their children. Whether you’re looking to improve your parenting skills, work through past challenges, or create stronger bonds with your kids, we’re here to support your journey. Our program offers a space where you can learn, grow, and make positive changes for your family’s future.
About This Program
Family Life currently offer the Dads in Focus program to help fathers understand the impact your parenting choices and behaviours have on your children and their other parent/carer.
Dads in Focus is usually 6-8 sessions and is delivered online or face to face at our Frankston location or another location as agreed.
If you’re concerned about how your behaviour is impacting your child, we encourage you to seek support.
Is This Program for Me?
The Dads in Focus team work with fathers who:
- Live in the funded area
- Has or has had an IVO in place
- Has a history of federal or family court, or child services involvement
Our support extends across the Bayside Peninsula Area in the Bayside Peninsula area (Bayside, Frankston, Glen Eira, Kingston, Mornington Peninsula, Port Phillip and Stonnington) and Dandenong LGA.
How We Help
Family Life is committed to helping you make a positive change in your attitude, values and behaviours, including those that may lead to family violence.
Through one-on-one support and practical guidance, we’ll help you understand your children’s needs, develop better parenting skills, and create the kind of family relationships you want to build.
- Dads in Focus supports you to:
- Develop better parenting skills
- Understand your children’s needs
- Create safe family relationships
- Manage emotions effectively
- Build co-parenting partnerships
- Work through past trauma
- Access additional support services
Getting Started
If you’d like to learn more about the services we offer at Family Life, please call us on (03) 8599 5433 — we’re happy to answer your questions.
If you’re seeking support for yourself or someone else, please complete our online support request form, and a member of our team will be in touch.
If you need urgent or emergency assistance, you’ll find a list of helpful organisations on our Contact Us page.
Marcus' Story
Marcus commenced with Family Life in late 2021 when he was referred to the
Dads in Focus (DIF) program as directed by the Family Court.
Through the DIF intervention Marcus had an opportunity to explore his own values,
beliefs and attitudes that contributed to his use of family violence, the impacts of
this on his ex-wife and his son and explore real life strategies to assist in reconnecting
and building strong and healthy bonds with his son.Â
FAQs
What will I learn?
The aim of Dads in Focus is to help fathers make positive and enduring changes. We can help you:
- Grow your parenting and co-parenting skills
- Define parenting roles
- Developing parenting plans and/or agreements
- Understand the effect violence and trauma have on you and your children
- Identify, and recover from your own experiences of trauma
- Take responsibility for your actions and behaviours
- Build on your strengths
- Access other support systems
What are the benefits?
Getting support can make a major difference in your own life as well as the lives of your family members. Some of the benefits include:
- The opportunity to develop your ability to parent positively
- Growth in your awareness of your actions and behaviours
- The ability to negotiate safe and responsible parenting roles
- Stronger family relationships
- Healthier children
- The opportunity to move past your own experience of violence and trauma
- An end to family violence
What are the funded areas?
Dads in Focus is available to fathers who live in the Bayside Peninsula Area in the Bayside Peninsula area (Bayside, Frankston, Glen Eira, Kingston, Mornington Peninsula, Port Phillip and Stonnington) and Dandenong LGA.
Am I eligible?
The Dads in Focus team work with fathers who:
- Live in the funded area
- Has or has had an IVO in place
- Has a history of federal or family court, or child services involvement
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