Family Matters Institute

Who we are

Family Matters Institute

Family Matters Institute (FMI) has been operating as a national charity based in Bedfordshire for 12 years.

Vision - a society supporting families and children to thrive.

Mission – enhancing the value society places on the family by influencing policy and embedding best practice.

FMI is committed to developing projects that make a unique contribution to society. Where we are able we seek to work in partnership with organisations that share our vision and values, with the intent of adding value to the positive impact in the lives of children and families.

The three main areas of our work include:

•           Research to inform and influence social and Government policy on issues of family life and relationships, with a continued focus on the ever-growing issue of family breakdown and separation, children’s emotional wellbeing and resilience, and the recognition and empowerment of fathers.

•           Training services delivered to support practitioners and those who have first contact with families and children across a variety of issues including safeguarding, child sexual exploitation, and mental health first aid.

•           Digital web-based services through DAD.info, Europe’s largest advice and support website for fathers. It provides guidance to nearly one million users per year, on a variety of topics across fatherhood from relationships and separation, to financial and legal matters, to expecting and raising children. It provides information and guidance through articles and other content, as well as one to one peer support on a moderated forum to over 27,000 members.

FMI aims to embed best practice into family life and relationships, bringing direct benefit to children, young people and families. As part of its work FMI has developed a strong focus on fathers, recognised as a ‘hard to reach’ and largely unengaged group.