About us
Our story…
From a 2015 research trial in Newcastle, NSW to global impact…
Daughters & Dads programs are a suite of evidence-based programs that engage fathers/father-figures & their primary school-aged daughters to promote physical activity, enhance sport skills and wellbeing, strengthen family bonds, and advance gender equity.
Originally known as ‘Dads & Daughters Exercising & Empowered’, the program was developed by Professor Philip Morgan at the University of Newcastle and piloted in 2015 with support from Hunter Medical Research Institute, Hunter Children’s Research Foundation and Port Waratah. 11 years of randomised controlled trials, dissemination studies and qualitative research have proven the program’s significant impact on:
Daughters’ physical activity, sport skills, screentime, social-emotional wellbeing.
Fathers’ physical activity, parenting, co-physical activity.
Father-daughter relationships, family functioning.
Program impacts are sustained long-term (8 years post-program) with girls set on new life trajectories via improved psychological resources, positive father involvement and sports participation. Fathers and daughters have benefited long-term from skills to address gender inequity.
NSW Office of Sport became a key partner in 2019 through the program’s inclusion in the statewide ‘Her Sport Her Way’ Strategy (2019-2023). This successful partnership involved program delivery to 2500 daughters and dads (despite significant COVID disruptions) and led to collaborations to develop sport-specific variations (Cricket Australia, Basketball NSW, Football NSW, Northern NSW Football). Building on this momentum, the project team have built innovative, collaborative partnerships with dozens of organisations across the government, sport, community and education sectors to implement the program across Australia, England, Northern Ireland and South Africa.
The program has received global recognition and accolades for research excellence and benefitting society, including commendation by the World Health Organization.
Awards & Recognitions
We have won 20+ national and international awards for benefitting society, improving wellbeing and research excellence. Program success has also led to widespread media coverage with a reach of over 1.5 million readers/viewers.
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2023 International Society for Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity (ISBNPA) Conference Best Oral Presentation - Dr Lee Ashton was awarded the winner of best oral presentation for his presentation titled Feasibility of ‘Daughters and Dads Cricket’: A program targeting fathers to improve their daughters’ engagement and skills in cricket.
2022 WHO European Regional Obesity Report - Daughters and Dads Active and Empowered featured as an example of an inspirational and effective initiative to promote physical activity that has been implemented around the world.
2021 International Green Gown Award "Highly Commended" in the category of ‘Benefiting Society’ - Supported by the United Nations environment program, the Green Gown Awards recognise exceptional sustainability initiatives being undertaken by the world's universities and colleges and put every learning institution at the heart of delivering the UN Global Goals. The 'Benefiting Society' category recognises the powerful and innovative ways education institutions are working to benefit the lives of individuals, communities and wider society.
2020 Australasian Green Gown Award in the category of ‘Benefiting Society’ - Judges awarded the Daughters and Dads program as the winner in the category of 'Benefiting Society', describing the program as "a fantastic example of innovation that truly benefits society".
2019 International Society for Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity (ISBNPA) Conference - Children and Families Specialist Interest Group: Best Paper Mid/Late Career Researcher Award - for the presentation 'Better together: Investigating the holistic benefits of father-daughter co-physical activity with mediation analyses'.
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2025 Engagement Australia Excellence Award for ‘Research Impact’ - This award recognises excellence in research that makes a substantial difference to the community, or Australian or New Zealand prosperity, undertaken jointly by researchers in tertiary education institutes and partners in community, business or industry contexts.
2025 Australian Financial Review Higher Education Awards Community Engagement (Finalist) - The Australian Financial Review Higher Education Awards are designed to highlight the tremendous contribution that the Higher Education sector makes to Australian prosperity and quality of life.
2024 Engagement Australia Excellence Award: Highly Commended in the category of ‘Research Impact’ - These awards identify and celebrate the most exciting engagement activities undertaken by universities that demonstrate far-reaching impact and innovation in the Australian and New Zealand economy and community.
2024 Parks & Leisure Australia: NSW Winner - Best Community Based Initiative of the Year - The award recognises the combined effort required to successfully plan, organise and manage remarkable projects and initiatives that promote and enhance leisure time for a number of social, environmental and economic benefits to the community.
2024 Parks & Leisure Australia - Best Community Initiative of the Year (National Finalist)
2023 South Australian Cricket Association Community Cricket Awards: Women & Girl’s Initiative of the Year
2021 HMRI Research Team Award - This award recognises an outstanding team of researchers who have collectively demonstrated excellence in health and medical research for the wellbeing of our communities.
2021 Engagement Australia Excellence Award: Community Engagement (Finalist) - This is the second year of these Awards, which transitioned in 2020 from the Business-Higher Education Round Table (BHERT) Awards. A record 124 submissions from 35 universities across Australia and New Zealand were received for the awards this year.
2020 Engagement Australia Excellence Award: Community Engagement (Finalist) - These national awards recognise outstanding collaborations between communities, higher education and industry for societal benefit. Emphasis is placed on partnerships that engage rural, regional, urban, disadvantaged or marginalised groups within Australia.
2018 Australian Sports Medicine Federation Fellows Award: ASICS Medal for Overall Best Paper - For the presentation: 'Better together: Investigating the holistic benefits of father-daughter co-physical activity with mediation analysis'. This presentation was also awarded Best Paper in the Physical Activity and Health Promotion category of the SMA conference.
2017 National Association for Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect (NAPCAN) Play Your Part Award - Recognising outstanding initiatives that promote the safety and wellbeing of children and young people across the country, this award was presented in Canberra by His Excellency Sir Peter Cosgrove - Governor-General of Australia, in August 2017.
2017 NSW State Parliament Community Recognition Statement for the Dads And Daughters Exercising and Empowered Program - Community recognition statements congratulate and acknowledge the achievements of individuals or groups in the community. The Hon. Tim Crakanthorp MP delivered the statement at the legislative assembly of the NSW Parliament on 5th April 2017.
2015 Best Paper – Physical Activity and Health Promotion' at the National ASICS Sports Medicine Australia Conference - For the presentation 'Engaging dads to increase physical activity and well-being in girls: The DADEE (Dads And Daughters Exercising and Empowered) Randomised Controlled Trial'.
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2024 & 2025 University of Newcastle, Excellence Award for Research Impact (Finalist) - This award recognises an individual or team who have demonstrated excellence in the translation of research that is demonstrably delivering significant impact and benefits for industry and/or broader society and community.
2021 HMRI Research Team Award - This award recognises an outstanding team of researchers who have collectively demonstrated excellence in health and medical research for the wellbeing of our communities.
2021 University of Newcastle, Work Integrated Learning Staff Member of the Year Award - Prof. Philip Morgan won the 2021 Work Integrated Learning Staff Member of the Year award for EDUC4017 'The Daughters and Dads program: optimising children's physical activity and well-being'. This award celebrates the professional learning experiences and partnerships that prepare students for success and recognises outstanding achievement in the delivery of meaningful and consequential Work Integrated Learning experiences for students.
2020 University of Newcastle, Faculty of Education & Arts Excellence Award for Collaboration and Engagement
List of awards
Program Research
Built on decades of research, the program is evidence-based in its development but also it’s impact. See the publications outlining the life-changing impact of this program.
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Ashton, L. M., Rayward, A. T., Pollock, E. R., Kennedy, S. L., Young, M. D., Eather, N., Barnes, A. T., Lee, D. R., & Morgan, P. J. (2024). Twelve-month outcomes of a community-based, father-daughter physical activity program delivered by trained facilitators. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 21(1), 101. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12966-024-01648-w
Pollock, E. R., Young, M. D., Lubans, D. R., Eather, N., & Morgan, P. J. (2023). Effects of a father–daughter physical activity intervention delivered by trained facilitators in the community setting on girls’ social-emotional well-being: A randomized controlled trial. Developmental Psychology, 59(10), 1852. https://doi.org/10.1037/dev0001609
Morgan, P. J., Pollock, E., Kennedy, S. L., Young, M., Eather, N., & Ashton, L. (2023). Feasibility of ‘Daughters and Dads Cricket’: A programme targeting fathers to improve daughters’ engagement and skills in cricket. International Journal of Sports Science & Coaching, 1-15. https://doi.org/10.1177/17479541231169096
Morgan, P. J., Rayward, A., Young, M., Pollock, E., Eather, N., Barnes, A., Kennedy, S. L., Saunders, K., Drew, R., & Lubans, D. (2021). Establishing Effectiveness of a Community-based, Physical Activity Program for Fathers and Daughters: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 56(7), 698-711 https://doi.org/10.1093/abm/kaab056
Pollock, E. R., Young, M., Lubans, D., Coffey, J., Hansen, V., & Morgan, P. J. (2021). Understanding the impact of a teacher education course on attitudes towards gender equity in physical activity and sport: An exploratory mixed methods evaluation. Teaching and Teacher Education, 105. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2021.103421
Pollock, E. P., Young, M., Lubans, D., Barnes, A., Eather, N., Coffey, J., Hansen, V., & Morgan, P. J. (2020). Impact of a father-daughter physical activity intervention: An exploration of fathers’ experiences. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 1-12. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-020-01837-8
Morgan, P. J., Barnes, A. T., Young, M. D., Pollock, E. R., Eather, N., & Lubans, D. R. (2019). Engaging Fathers to Increase Physical Activity in Girls: The ‘Dads And Daughters Exercising and Empowered’ (DADEE) Randomized Controlled Trial. Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 53(1), 39-52. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-020-01837-8
Young, M. D., Lubans, D. R., Barnes, A. T., Eather, N., Pollock, E. R., Morgan, P. J. (2019). Impact of a Father-Daughter Physical Activity Program on Girls' Social-Emotional Well-being: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 87(3), 294-307, https://doi: 10.1037/ccp0000374
Eather, N., Bull, A., Young, M. D., Barnes, A. T., Pollock, E. R., & Morgan, P. J., (2018). Fundamental Movement Skills: Where do girls fall short? A novel investigation of object-control skill execution in primary-school aged girls. Preventive Medicine Reports, 18(11), 191-195, https://doi: 10.1016/j.pmedr.2018.06.005
Morgan, P. J., Young, M., Lubans, D., Barnes, A., Eather, N., & Pollock, E. (2018). Better together: Investigating the holistic benefits of father–daughter co-physical activity with mediation analyses, 2018 ASICS Sports Medicine Australia Conference, 10-13 October 2018, Perth, Australia. Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, 21 (Nov 2018, Suppl.), s13.
Morgan, P. J., Lubans, D. R., Young, M.D., Barnes, A.T., Eather, N., & Pollock, E. R. (2015). Engaging dads to increase physical activity and well-being in girls: The DADEE (Dads And Daughters Exercising and Empowered) RCT. Australian Conference of Science and Medicine in Sport/ 2015 ASICS Sports Medicine Australia Conference, 21-24 October 2015, Queensland, Australia. Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, 19 (Dec 2015, Suppl.), e11.
FAQs
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Parent-child programs have predominantly targeted and engaged mothers. When programs are open to both parents, research shows that very few dads sign up. Our Daughters and Dads programs are designed to solely engage fathers/ father-figures.
Mums/partners are encouraged to engage with the program home tasks, have discussions with their partner and daughter and are welcome to engage in the podcast content for dads.
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Absolutely, we welcome her attendance with any significant male role model in her life. This might be a step-father, grandfather, uncle, older brother or trusted family friend.
The program is designed to educate and motivate male role models as the agents of change to enhance girls’ physical activity levels, sport skills and social-emotional wellbeing.
Unfortunately, we are unable to accommodate daughters attending the program with their mothers, as a key element of the program’s success in attracting dads is attributed to specifically targeting a program just for them.
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We suggest dads attend with just the one daughter at a time. The program is designed for 1-on-1 interaction between dads and daughters to ensure you get the most benefit out of the program. This allows the two of you to effectively engage in the education and practical activities that are designed to be done 1:1.
We have a few options to accommodate multiple daughters:
Option 1: Dad could participate in more than one session during the term, having a different daughter attend with him each night.
Option 2: Another father figure (e.g. grandfather/uncle) could participate with one of the daughters in the same session as dad and the other daughter.
Option 3: The program will run again in the future so you could decide to attend with one daughter initially and then sign up the following year with the other daughter.
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Not at all. The program caters for all ability levels, from those who have never played sport, to those who play competitively. Facilitators and fathers are taught evidence-based, sports coaching skills to help them to modify activities to make them easier or harder, maximising girls’ enjoyment, engagement and skill development regardless of their (or your) current skill level.
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Yes! Healthy Dads, Healthy Kids and Healthy Youngsters, Healthy Dads are designed for fathers/father-figures and their children - sons and daughters alike.
In Healthy Dads, Healthy Kids, thousands of dads have built lasting healthy habits while inspiring their kids to lead active, healthy lives. Dads become role models, helping their children develop confidence and competence in making positive lifestyle choices through physical activity, nutrition, and healthy habits.
Healthy Youngsters, Healthy Dads offers a unique opportunity for dads and their young children to spend quality time together. They participate in fun, engaging, and educational activities that support both physical and mental well-being.
Meet the Team
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![Professor Philip Morgan]()
Prof Philip Morgan
FOUNDER
Phil is Co-Deputy-Director of the Global Sport & Movement Collaborative at the University of Newcastle, Australia. As a father of three daughters and coach of multiple junior girls basketball, touch football and soccer teams, Professor Morgan is very aware of the important role fathers play in their children’s lives. He is a strong male advocate for gender equity and enhancing the father-daughter bond and wellbeing through physical activity and sport.
See Phil’s University of Newcastle profile here.
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![Professor Narelle Eather]()
Prof Narelle Eather
RESEARCHER
Narelle researchers the promotion of physical activity, physical fitness and sports skills among children, youth and young adults, and with the development and evaluation of theoretically driven Health and Physical Education interventions in the school and community settings. In addition to her academic achievements, Dr Eather is a current Australian OzTag representative, a former national league netball player and an inspiration to her two adolescent girls.
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![Dr Lee Ashton]()
Dr Lee Ashton
RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT
Lee is a post-doctoral researcher in the Global Sport & Movement Collaborative at the University of Newcastle. He is a proud father to Artie & Olive and he looks forward to sharing the concepts from the Daughters and Dads program to help them be Active and Empowered for life!
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![Kirsten Smith]()
Kirsten Smith
PROJECT OFFICER
With a Degree in Sports Business Management, Kirsten brings a wealth of experience working across the sporting sector. Before joining the team, Kirsten successfully coordinated Football NSW and Northern NSW Football’s implementation of the Daughters & Dads Football program. Prior to this, Kirsten worked in various roles with the Newcastle Jets and Cricket NSW. Kirsten also proudly captains the Newcastle City Women’s Cricket Team.
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![Dan Lee]()
Dan Lee
IMPLEMENTATION LEAD
Dan joined the Daughters & Dads team shortly after graduating from a Masters of Teaching (Primary). Prior to this, Dan worked in a variety of roles in both school and community settings that focused on the social-emotional wellbeing of young people.
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![Associate Professor Myles Young]()
Assoc Prof Myles Young
RESEARCHER
Myles is a lecturer and men’s health researcher in the University of Newcastle’s School of Psychology. His research primarily focuses on men’s physical and mental health and how ‘gender-tailored’ programs can increase the participation of men in health research.
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![Three girls running with their dad]()
Zoe, Taylah & Bronte
MULTI-ROLE
Zoe, Taylah and Bronte are a trio of empowered & active girls who have helped out over the years on several program tasks.
