Because dads matter too

Fathers' mental health: Campaigns

NHS England

After years of campaigning, we are beggining to see some attention for fathers’ mental health:

December 2018: NHS England announce major support for fathers' mental health. 

May 2021, NHS England published a report entitled “Involving and supporting partners and other family members in specialist perinatal mental health services: good practice guide”.

While this news was welcome, there is still a long way to go. Essentially, fathers will be screened for their mental health… when their partner has been referred to NHS perinatal mental health services. This illustrates a few gaps in how fathers will be identified and supported:

  1. Many mothers are not referred into those NHS perinatal mental health services

  2. Fathers can develop poor postnatal mental health independently of the mother.

  3. Fathers who witness their partner’s birth trauma can be at risk for developing post-traumatic stress disorder if not supported.

  4. By definition, this is just for England. What about fathers in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland?