{"id":25085,"date":"2026-06-03T11:00:22","date_gmt":"2026-06-03T09:00:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/oudersenonderwijs.nl\/nieuws\/symposium-about-fatherhood\/"},"modified":"2026-06-03T11:17:39","modified_gmt":"2026-06-03T09:17:39","slug":"symposium-about-fatherhood","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/oudersenonderwijs.nl\/en\/nieuws\/symposium-about-fatherhood\/","title":{"rendered":"Symposium about fatherhood"},"content":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"This is what we can learn about the symposium on fatherhood.","protected":false},"author":17,"featured_media":25084,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[328,317],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-25085","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","category-relationship-parents-and-school"],"acf":{"samenvatting":"This is what we can learn about the symposium on fatherhood.","banner_afbeelding":false,"banner_subtitel":"","inhoud":[{"acf_fc_layout":"inhoud_blok","afbeelding_of_video":"geen","afbeelding":false,"video":null,"intro":"\u201cFathers are too important to ignore.\u201d With that message, the ChristenUnie organized a symposium on fatherhood on May 11, 2026, in Nieuwspoort, during the week of the family. Director of Ouders & Onderwijs Lobke Vlaming looks back: 'We must involve fathers much more actively, because that is very good for children.'","inhoud":"

Why fatherhood was central<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

The reason for the symposium was the motto \u2018Involved fathers, thriving society’. In this, the ChristenUnie advocates for more attention to the role of fathers.<\/span><\/p>\n

During the meeting, scientists, caregivers, parents and social organizations came together to discuss what the impact of involved fatherhood is, what happens when fathers are absent, and how we can better support fathers.<\/span><\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"quote","quote_tekst":"It is important that fathers get a full role"},{"acf_fc_layout":"extra_inhoud_blok","inhoud":"

Lobke Vlaming, director of Ouders & Onderwijs, says: \u2018<\/span>In many places, people still automatically look at<\/span>\u00a0the mother and the father is sometimes forgotten. For example, schools often standardly call the mother when a child is sick or something has happened. And also at the consultation office, fathers sometimes experience that<\/span> it is mostly the mother who is spoken to. It is important that fathers get a full role and that we<\/span> become more aware of how we can do this.’<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

Valuable small moments<\/h3>\n

An important part of the symposium was the contribution of pedagogues and researchers. For example, professor Louis Tavecchio showed that fathers make a unique contribution to the development of children.<\/p>\n

Children of involved fathers<\/a> develop better and are more resilient against stress. Father involvement has a proven positive effect on school performance and self-confidence, and even small moments together (such as reading or playing) can already make a difference.<\/p>\n

Yet the reality is that fathers are still too little involved in upbringing and education, while they often do want to.<\/p>\n

Fathers face obstacles<\/h3>\n

There was also attention at the symposium for the obstacles fathers face. For example, conversations with fathers (for instance with a migration background) show that:<\/p>\n