The roles of fathers’ having children under ten years old in child care and health

Burcu Küçük Biçer, Hacettepe University
Hilal Özcebe, Hacettepe University
Eren Çetin, Hacettepe University
Mevlana Yılmaz, Hacettepe University
Fegan Zakirov, Hacettepe University

Introduction: Physical, mental-social development of the children are effected by participation of the fathers in child care. This study aims to learn the roles of fathers’ in child care and development in the family. Method: Descriptive study was conducted in a middle socio-economical level region of Ankara. The target group is mothers having children under 10 years old and attending primary health care centre. 119 mothers were interviewed by using “face to face interview technique” between the dates 02-05.02.2010. Results: Mean age of the mothers was 30.73 (SD 5.747) and 55.4% of the mothers were graduated from high school/college. According to mothers' anwers: fathers’ mean age was 33.88 (SD 5.888) and 62.2% of them graduated from high school/college. Almost all fathers have the jobs which needs high education levels. Most of the fathers have long working hours, and work in stressfull environments (83.2%). 78.2% of the fathers prefer staying at home after work. 82.4% of the fathers paid attention to children’ feeding, 39.5% of them help diapering and 75.6% went to the child’s bed during his crying at night. 38,7% of fathers read book to children before sleeping, 39,5 percent watch children programmes, 51.2% went to parks, 48.7% played games at home together. 60% of the fathers didn’t take any information about child education-care. Main source is media for fathers who had information on child care. Fathers’ contribution to child care-education is found higher in the families if the decision about child care shared by mother and father. than the families in which the decision made only by mother or father. Conclusion: Fathers are important for children’s social-mental development; therefore information and counselling service on child care should be served to fathers. Keywords: Father, child development, child