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The Dynamics of Young Fatherhood: Understanding the Parenting Journeys and Support Needs of Young Fathers

Online ISBN:
9781447351764
Print ISBN:
9781447351610
Publisher:
Policy Press
Book

The Dynamics of Young Fatherhood: Understanding the Parenting Journeys and Support Needs of Young Fathers

Anna Tarrant
Anna Tarrant

Associate Professor in Sociology

University of Lincoln
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Published online:
19 September 2024
Published in print:
26 February 2024
Online ISBN:
9781447351764
Print ISBN:
9781447351610
Publisher:
Policy Press

Abstract

This book presents new insights into the unfolding lives of young fathers (those who enter parenthood before the age of 25). It draws on dynamic data from a qualitative longitudinal study (Following Young Fathers, 2010-15), and associated projects, that traced the lives of a mixed sample of young men from a Northern industrial city in the UK through the early years of fatherhood. Part 1 (Young Fatherhood, Contemporary Knowledge and Debate) reviews how young fatherhood is constituted, drawing on international research evidence (chapter 1) and UK policy responses (chapter 2). It reveals how young fathers (and young parents more generally) are viewed as a social problem; the related deficit model of understanding, that assumes that they are feckless and run away from their responsibilities; and an alternative social engagement framework, which shows a commitment among many young men to ‘be there’ for their children. The qualitative longitudinal methodology adopted for this research (Chapter 3) offers unique insights into the complex causal pathways that shape the varied experiences of these young men. The empirical chapters (Part 2, Living Young Fatherhood) explore how young men attempt to establish a parental role and identity, and the relational, socio-economic and environmental factors that impact on this process. Part 3 (Supporting Young Fathers: Lived Experiences and Policy Challenges) explores and re-shapes the landscape of professional support for young fathers. The final chapter brings the findings together, examines the citizenship of young fathers, and makes the case for compassionate social policies that can more effectively support them and their families.

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