It is evident that the involvement of fathers/dads is crucial to the development of young children.  This has been demonstrated across decades of research exploring the role of fathers/dads and their contribution to a child’s development and learning within the context of families of typically developing children (Ahnert & Schoppe-Sullivan, 2019; Bretherton et al., 2005; Lamb, 1997; Palm, 2014; Paquette, 2004; Parke, 2000; Pleck, 1997).  However, for families of children with special educational needs and/or disability (SEN/D), the role and involvement of fathers/dads in such a parenting context does not appear to be of much research interest.  Regardless of the significant role that fathers/dads can play in children’s development and education, mothers/mums continue to be seen as the primary focus and are often the exclusive participants in research relating to education for young children with SEN/D (Bagner, 2013; Bagner & Eyberg, 2003; Curran, 2003; Flippin & Crais, 2011; McBride et al., 2017; Zin & Nor, 2017).  Hence, the voices and perceptions of fathers/dads towards their involvement and participation in the lives and education of their children with SEN/D are underrepresented, which is problematic considering that families who are situated in such contexts have been found to experience higher levels of stress and face multiple challenges (Darling & Gallagher, 2004; Hartley et al., 2010; Olsson & Hwang, 2001; Scherer et al., 2019; Seltzer et al., 2001; Venter, 2011).  Thus, more knowledge regarding fathers/dads’ experiences of, and preferences for involvement in their children’s education can further inform the supports and interventions most tailored to the needs of them, which may in turn promote optimal family relationship and family well-being (Carpenter & Towers, 2008) .

Conceptualizing the development of families and their children with SEN/D within the context of education, Bronfenbrenner (1979) highlights the significance of meso-systemic interactions between the child’s family and everyday settings (e.g., early year’s settings, school, community).  As a system of services and support networks that is well-established both in Ireland and internationally, early intervention (EI) offers great opportunities for families of young children with SEN/D who are struggling to reach their full potential (Guralnick, 2011).  By acknowledging the central role that parents play in a child’s life and aligning with the concept of family empowerment, EI has become an important ecological setting related to the development and education of young children with SEN/D and their families.  For fathers/dads, their career in the support and education of their children with SEN/D may also start in the context of EI. As such, connecting EI professionals and fathers/dads would produce more favourable long-term experiential and educational outcomes for children with SEN/D and their families. 

While emerging evidence suggests that directly involving fathers/dads in EI services could contribute to the developmental outcome of the child, family, and EI programmes, the reality is that fathers/dads are noticeably absent from EI services (McBride et al., 2017).  Within very limited existing literature, research has suggested that there is a lack of knowledge among EI professionals on how to engage fathers/dads of children with SEN/D (Flippin & Crais, 2011; McBride et al., 2017; Raikes et al., 2005).  To bridge the disconnection in knowledge, perceptions, and practice towards the issue of father/dad involvement in the education of young children with SEN/D and EI, the current research explores the “lived” experiences and perceptions of individuals who are critically involved in such contexts.  This involved an investigation into fathers/dads’ experiences of, perceived barriers to, and preferences for EI services, the role and perceptions of EI professionals in supporting and promoting the involvement of fathers/dads, as well as mothers/mums’ perception towards fathers/dads’ involvement in the education and lives of young children with SEN/D.

To investigate the experiences and needs of the target populations, qualitative approaches were employed due to their ability gathering context-based insights, experiences, descriptions, and clarifications when exploring a particular phenomena from the participant’s perspectives (Daher et al., 2017; Patton, 2014). One-to-one semi-structured interviews were conducted with EI professionals, fathers/dads, and mothers/mums of children with SEN/D in Ireland. As the research was conducted during the time of the COVID -19 pandemic, telephone interview replaced face-to-face interviews. This unexpected change to the data collection method was beneficial. When interviewing fathers/dads of children with SEN/D about their perceptions of their involvement, role and responsibilities, the telephone interview provided a more relaxed, less-threatening and personal, and comfortable platform for them to engage in in-depth conversations with the researcher. The open-ended interview questions for each participant group were designed and guided by an extensive literature relating to the area that is under investigation. To support reliability and validity, pilot interviews were conducted with candidates who have a remit in the area of EI and experiences on father/dad involvement. Useful feedback was provided that enabled the researcher to re-draft and revise the interview questions for each participant group, as well as practicing the planned procedure for the interview and to practice interview skills. None of the data recorded in the pilot study was used in the data analysis. All the interviews were recorded, transcribed verbatim, subjected to thematic analysis.

The findings of this research study indicate a number of perceived barriers and preferences for EI from the perspective of fathers/dads, EI professionals, and mothers/mums. For example, inflexible appointment time and fathers/dads’ work were identified as main factors affecting involvement. Results from the qualitative data indicated that these two factors directly contributed to the lack of fathers/dads presence in EI services (e.g., meetings, appointments, parental training) and thus it was difficult for EI professionals to build partnerships with fathers/dads. Other barriers such as the gendered nature of EI services and professionals’ lack of training in providing gender-sensitive services were also highlighted. In terms of preferences for EI services, specific intervention contents and features (e.g., activity-based intervention, father-targeted service) were reported with a highlight on the need of establishing peer support group and father/dad-only parental training session. The findings revealed in this research enhance our understanding not only of fathers/dads’ unique perspective, but also of the family unit and professionals who are critically involved in such context. This is critical in supporting EI professionals in Ireland to develop initiative services for fathers/dads who might be struggling in such parenting context, as well as to maximise of the experiential and educational outcome for families and their children with SEN/D. Furthermore, as the research was planned in a manner that may be understood as demonstrating applied contributions to the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Developmental Goals (SDGs) (UN General Assembly, 2015), and to have direct influence on policy, practice, experiences, and outcomes, further contribution to knowledge in the area of education for young children with SEN/D will be also made, not just in Ireland but also across Europe. Such contribution would further facilitate the realisation of SDGs (e.g., Goal 4: Quality Education) in the international development community.

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