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Understanding paternal mental health

A workshop to help fathers make a big impact from small changes.

Father with son in the woods

To mark International Fathers’ Mental Health Day, the Roslin Career Development Committee hosted an online seminar and Q&A on 23 June to discuss why the mental health of fathers matters to outcomes for families, how to identify signs of poor mental health and what can be done to prevent and gain support for men and their families.

We know that some fathers may struggle with their mental health and all dads need, at the very least, someone to talk to about the changes they experience as a working father.

But while the evidence tells us just how important the role of a father is to the life chances of any child, studies show that at least one in ten new fathers suffer from post-natal depression, with up to 45 percent of fathers affected by post-natal stress and anxiety.

Supporting fathers at every stage is a win, win, win – it’s good for the mother, for the baby, and for the father himself.

Participants have learnt about the meaning of ‘paternal mental health’, when problems can occur, how to identify potential mental health issues, the impact this can have on the whole family, as well as individual and organisational roles and responsibilities in supporting the mental health of fathers.

The seminar was delivered by Chris Miezetis, lead of the programme ‘Understanding Dads’ at Fathers Network Scotland.

Related links

The secret lives of working dads

Managing work/life balance

Roslin’s support for parents & carers

Image credit: ljcor via Pixabay