Because dads matter too

Fathers' mental health: Campaigns

Back to Fathers’ Mental Health

Mark Williams

There is growing evidence that shows how fathers need support for their mental health in the perinatal period. Despite that, support services are still limited. I am honoured to work with some great professionals, academics, and dads on those campaigns. Most of that has been undertaken with my great friend Mark Williams. Mark had little support and feared that he could not talk to anyone about Michelle's illness (such is the stigma). Without support, Mark's own mental health suffered too. Now, armed with that experience, Mark has runs campaigns, writes blogs, and provides support to fathers experiencing their mental health difficulties. He created the campaigning and support group Fathers Reaching Out to spearhead those campaigns. Mark is heading the #Howareyoudad campaign - aiming to remind all health professionals to ask dads about their mental health. He has written books, including Daddy Blues and Fathers and Perinatal Mental Health: A Guide for Recognition, Treatment and Management.

In September 2020, after 10 years of campaigning, Mark produced the Fathers Reaching Out - Why Dads Matter report that explored all of the work that has been done in that last decade and advocating what still needs to be done. I have had the pleasure of being involved in a great deal of the work highlighted in that report.