Ryan Jones, Coordinator for Dad Matters Gloucestershire, says “Our Stay ’n’ play sessions have been a great success and we have seen some great relationships being made between the dads that have attended.” As one dad commented “The guys at Dad Matters listen and gave me loads of advice and I feel a lot more confident about becoming a father.”
Feedback from their events and research has shown the desire and need for a dads-only session to be started focusing on dads’ mental health. Nick Darrock-Fuller, Coordinator for Dad Matters Gloucestershire, says “The Journey into fatherhood is a time of change for men and this journey brings worries and stresses for many men. Thinking about and understanding their own mental health at the time is key for them to be able to support their family.”
1 in 10 dads suffer from postnatal depression; that’s 75,000 dads each year in the UK. Postnatal depression in dads is more likely if there is maternal postnatal depression too – of fathers with depressed partners, 24% to 50% experience depression themselves.
Dads who may be struggling with their mental health or supporting a partner who has mental health issues do not always have the right environment to talk. Talking to others and having peer-to-peer support is a good thing! The new Dad Matters Well-being group will be a safe space for Dads to talk about issues that may be affecting them in a confidential space.
These events will be starting in November and will be held in different venues across the county to find the nearest one to you please go to our website. www.dadmatters.org.uk/gloucestershire