Parenting practitioners fail to ask about fathers in up to half of initial recruitment calls for parenting programmes, meaning many men never get invited to attend. This study tests whether training those practitioners in three specific conversations—with the mother before the programme, with the father before it starts, and with the father after he joins—can increase the number of fathers who take part. The problem matters because when both parents attend parenting programmes, they develop consistent approaches to raising their children, which improves children’s physical and mental health. Yet fathers rarely attend, partly because recruitment calls focus on mothers and practitioners lack the skills to engage men. No previous study has trained practitioners to manage these targeted conversations. If the COSIE intervention proves feasible, a larger trial could follow. Success would mean more fathers attending parenting programmes, leading to more consistent parenting, better child welfare, and reduced demand on children’s social care services. The study runs across three local authorities with 86 practitioners, comparing father recruitment rates before and after training. Results are expected by December 2027.
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Research question Is it feasible to conduct a definitive effectiveness trial to evaluate the Communication and Skills Intervention with Fathers (COSIE) intervention? Background This study is focused on engaging more fathers with parenting programmes. Parenting programmes are group-based interventions supporting parents to develop their parenting skills. When parents practice these skills consistently with their children, this leads to better physical and mental health. When both parents attend parenting programmes, they can develop consistent approaches to parenting, but fathers rarely attend, missing opportunities to develop parenting skills. Fathers are often hesitant to attend and perceive programmes to be focused on mothers. Initial recruitment calls made by parenting practitioners are central to parents’ onward engagement in parenting programmes. However, these initial recruitment calls tend to be to mothers and in up to 50% of such calls parenting practitioners fail to ask about fathers at all meaning they are less likely to be invited, feel included or attend. Parenting practitioners therefore play an important role in recruiting fathers but research suggests they need additional training to develop the skills needed to engage fathers. The COSIE intervention will train parenting practitioners in techniques to better engage fathers in parenting programmes. It focuses on three conversations with parents: with the mother before the programme starts; with the father before the programme starts; and with the father after he has started the programme. There are no studies that have trained practitioners to manage these specific conversations to increase the numbers of fathers attending parenting programmes. Aim To assess the feasibility of conducting a definitive effectiveness trial to evaluate the COSIE intervention. Objectives 1. To optimise involvement of fathers in the intervention 2. To train practitioners in COSIE and ask them to use the techniques in their recruitment practices. 3. To optimise the data collection processes and collect data for the outcome, process and economic analysis data. 4. To determine the feasibility of conducting an effectiveness trial of the COSIE intervention based on agreed progression criteria. Methods Design: a quasi-experimental study with pre-post, within and between site comparisons. A qualitative process evaluation and an economic analysis are embedded into the design. Participants: Parenting practitioners who facilitate parenting programmes across three local authorities and have preliminary conversations with parents as part of their role. Comparator: Number of fathers recruited to and retained in parenting programmes prior to implementation of COSIE (baseline). Sample: 86 parenting practitioners across three local authorities Timeline for delivery Start January 2026; comparator data collection summer, autumn 2026; COSIE training September 2026; data collection autumn 2026, spring, summer 2027; study duration 24 months; end December 2027. The later start date enables alignment with local authority delivery of programmes which fall in line with school terms. Anticipated impact and dissemination Increasing numbers of fathers attending parenting programmes could result in more consistent parenting for children; improved children’s welfare; reduced demand on children’s social care services. Outputs: protocol; peer-publications; accessible summaries; short film; conference presentations.
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