The Engaging Men in Nurturing Care (EMiNC) initiative is making significant strides across Europe, with teams in Portugal, Spain, and Italy leading efforts to engage fathers in caregiving and challenge gender norms. By working with professionals, parents, and policymakers, EMiNC seeks to build a future where caregiving is a shared responsibility, benefiting families, communities, and society. At the core of the initiative stays the commitment to influence policies and change practices in services and home environments for increased engagement of men and fathers’ engagement in child’s care and development in early years. 

Following an in-person partners’ meeting in Barcelona, the EMiNC team members shared progress made in their respective countries and at the initiative level.  This article offers the latest updates on this work, showcasing the progress being made on the ground. 

At the initiative level, EMiNC has also compiled a compendium of good and promising practices on engaging men in nurturing care—highlighting the growing global momentum around this issue and set for publication in January. Additionally, Data gathering and analysis for a State of South European Fathers report under the purview of EMiNC is also underway and will provide valuable insights to deepen our understanding of paternal engagement in Europe, as well as challenges and opportunities for further deliberation. Finally, a broader awareness campaign is being developed to complement the targeted efforts within each country. 

Italy: Advancing professional development and advocact

The EMiNC team in Naples has made notable progress in training (in-service and pre-service) and advocacy. A Training of Trainers program for health professionals and one for early childhood educators were completed earlier this year  preparing participants to roll out training in 2025. The team has also conducted training of parents and professionals from family services as facilitators of fathers groups and will be providing backstopping to assist in setting up groups.  Volunteer readers from Naples and the Region of  the well-established national Born to Read program were also trained to encourage fathers to bond with their children through reading, highlighting the importance of early engagement. In pre-service education, a series of seminars/lectures are being rolled out in three universities  on father-inclusive nurturing care, with ongoing efforts to embed such training into standard academic curricula for long-term sustainability. Advocacy at the national level has focused on promoting budget amendments to support non-transferable, mandatory paternity leave. This work is complemented by public communication campaigns and the creation of practical resources for professionals and parents, helping to reshape cultural attitudes toward caregiving. 

Portugal: Building awareness and capacity

In Coimbra, the EMiNC team has been  focused on creating a supportive environment for shared caregiving. A key element of this work has been developing pilot sessions with pre-service education and health professionals (a total of 30 hours of training) dedicated to developing strategies to engage men in childcare giving. A 50-hour programme for in-service training for health and early education professionals is being created and sessions should start in January, 2025   to equip teachers and health professionals with tools for engaging fathers in early childhood settings. 

Simultaneously, the team will focus their advocacy on employers to create work environments  that encourage fathers to use their legally available paternity leave, addressing cultural resistance to men taking on caregiving roles. Advocacy efforts will include mapping out potential partners to further these goals.  Both social media campaigns to raise awareness and partnerships with local groups that aim to  bring fathers directly into the conversation will be strengthened through the next months.

Spain: Strengthening training and outreach

In Spain, the EMiNC team is making steady progress in engaging fathers. In Barcelona, a two-phase training program for kindergarten professionals has been developed. This program combines conceptual learning with hands-on activities, encouraging educators to reflect on and implement strategies for greater father engagement. Training sessions are planned for early 2025, following a Training of Trainers model to ensure sustainable impact. Simultaneously, initial father’s groups implemented in kindergartens have also offered valuable insights, and based on which we will adapt the curriculum for these groups and for professionals facilitating such groups based on the initial pilot. Work is also progressing on integrating father-inclusive practices into university pre-service training for future professionals, though challenges remain in securing institutional buy-in. 

Advocacy efforts are ramping up, as partners plan campaigns. Outreach to marginalized fathers—such as teen dads and men in substance abuse programs—continues, with recent needs assessments setting the stage for tailored support.

Sustaining momentum

The recent progress in Portugal, Spain, and Italy reflects a shared commitment to breaking down barriers and creating lasting change. At the initiative level, the upcoming compendium of best and promising practices, the State of Fathers Report, and a broader awareness campaign will provide powerful tools to strengthen these efforts globally. 

EMiNC continues to demonstrate that engaging fathers in caregiving is not just about child development benefits and about gender equity—it is about building a stronger, more connected society. By reshaping caregiving as a shared responsibility, the initiative is creating ripples of change that will benefit families and communities for generations to come. 

Learn more about EMiNC.