Hosted by UEA’s Centre for Research on the Child and Family, the breakfast seminar on July 10 will be entitled ‘Supporting fathers and families after separation or divorce’.

The event will aim to present current research evidence on programmes designed to support father-child and co-parental relationships after separation or divorce and encourage local support providers to discuss the issues involved in engaging and encouraging men in their roles as fathers and carers for children.

Prof Margaret O’Brien, co-director of the Centre for Research on the Child and Family, said: “We want this seminar to provide an opportunity for academics and practitioners to share knowledge about how fathers can be supported after separation or divorce.

“There is a tremendous range of family support activity reaching out to East Anglian fathers - much of which is often invisible to the statutory services.

“We hope that this event will raise the profile of the impressive work charities and voluntary groups are doing to include support to fathers as well as mothers undergoing the stresses and strains of separation.

Prof O’Brien will give an overview of UEA’s fatherhood research and Dr Georgia Philip will present early findings from their current research project into this area, which encompasses both regional and international research evidence.

A presentation will then be made by the Great Yarmouth Fathers Project, a group set up by local fathers to provide support and assistance and to develop their own research on strengthening relationships between fathers and welfare services

The morning will finish with an overview of the engagement work done with fathers in Norfolk in the past, currently and in the future by Andy Wood from Menscraft and the Mancroft Advisory Project.

The event takes place on Tuesday, July 10 from 8.30am. Interested practitioners are welcome to attend; contact Georgia Philip on 01603 593365 or g.philip@uea.ac.uk  for more information.