Role Of New Fathers Promoted In Fathers Direct Maternity Guide

Main Category: Men's health
Also Included In: Pregnancy / Obstetrics
Article Date: 04 Jun 2007 - 1:00 PDT

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A unique guide launched today by Fathers Direct, backed by Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt, sets out the way maternity services should engage with fathers, to benefit children, mums and fathers themselves.

Including New Fathers offers a wealth of policy guidance and practical advice on how to include fathers effectively in maternity services. It reflects the changing nature of families: today, 88 per cent of fathers attend their child's birth, a figure that has risen significantly in the last 40 years and fathers now provide one third of parental care of children - eight times more than 30 years ago and more care than professional childcarers. [1].

The guide reflects first hand experiences of midwives and other professionals who work with fathers and includes many of their hints and tips. Drawing on a wealth of international research, it sets out:

-- how maternity services can engage with fathers effectively, including very young fathers or fathers with negative behaviour
-- how working closely with fathers can improve infant and maternal health
-- how early engagement with new fathers shapes their attitudes to parenting
-- the implications of the recent Gender Equality Duty

Duncan Fisher, Chief Executive of Fathers Direct says;

"Fathers have always had a profound influence on their children's lives, for better or worse. And now, in the 21st century, they are more involved throughout pregnancy, birth and child-rearing.

"As far as possible, this guide recommends actions that are resource neutral and relatively easy to implement in busy maternity services.

"Maternity professionals see more fathers than in any other statutory service. They have a key role to play in securing this huge potential resource and in challenging negative behaviour for the wellbeing of the mothers and infants in their care."

Copies of Including New Fathers (priced £4.95) are available by calling 0845 634 1328 or emailing maternity@fathersdirect.com.

Including New Fathers was produced in response to the need to engage with fathers in maternity care as represented in the National Service Framework for Children, Young People and Maternity Services (2004), and a range of policy and practice documents produced recently by Government.

-- A pdf of Including New Fathers is available on request
-- Fathers Direct is the national information centre on fatherhood. We help Government, employers, services for families and children and families themselves to adapt to changing social roles of men and women. We help institutions base their work on research evidence about the impact of fathers on child welfare. Our vision is a society that: gives all children a strong and positive relationship with their fathers, supports co-operative parenting, provides greater support for mothers as carers and earners, supports the role of men in caring for children.

[1] Gershuny J (2001) Changing Times. New York: OUP. Equal Opportunities Commission, 21st Century Dad (June 2006)

http://www.fathersdirect.com

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