Young dads-to-be in Dudley are being provided with extra support to help them build their skills and confidence thanks to the hard work of family nurses at Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust.
The Trust’s Family Nurse Partnership has recently started using a handy resource called DadPads to provide targeted advice and help for young fathers.
DadPads provide practical advice on topics such as safe sleeping, play and bonding so fathers are well-equipped to help give their baby the best possible start in life.
They also help dads recognise the signs of post-natal depression in themselves and their partner so they can get help earlier.
The launch of the books in Dudley is particularly timely with November marking Men’s Health Month, which raises awareness of the importance of men talking about and getting help for their mental health.
DadPads were launched by Inspire Cornwall CIC and developed with the NHS, but this is the first time that the resource has been launched in Dudley, where Black Country Healthcare Foundation Trust provides community healthcare for children, young people and families.
The team, based in Kingswinford, provide the Family Nurse Partnership programme in the Dudley borough which sees specially trained, experienced health visitors provide intensive and structured home visiting to first-time teenage parents.
Visits begin early in pregnancy and throughout the first two years of the child’s life, with health visitors and nurses at the Trust also carrying out the Healthy Child Programme which is provided to all youngsters in the borough.
The team decided to introduce DadPads after seeing how some young fathers can feel overlooked and even invisible during pregnancy, which can negatively impact their mental health, confidence and engagement with their baby.
The books also help to engage dads who cannot physically attend the health visits but want to be part of the sessions and help to include young fathers in their child’s development which has a positive impact on child and family outcomes.
Thanks to the team researching and implementing the DadPads at their visits, young dads in Dudley now have specialised, father-centred support.
Laura Pritchard, family nurse and supervisor with the Family Nurse Partnership, said: “As a team we are passionate about involving fathers who are going to be part of their baby’s life. We want to help them feel included and support their transition to fatherhood as much as possible. We are delighted to have this new resource that is specifically designed to target dads and their needs and we are trialling different ways of using them with fathers on our caseloads to really make a difference to young families in Dudley.”
Scott Humphries, Divisional Director for Children, Young People and Families, said: “November is Men’s Health Month which aims to raise awareness of men’s mental health. Hopefully the DadPads can help open up conversations with young dads about their mental health during pregnancy and as they embark on their new lives as fathers. By engaging with dads, we can help boost their mental health and ultimately the wellbeing of their child.”
Sarah Hogan, Deputy Director for Children, Young People and Families, added: “Our family nurses and health visitors offer a vital service across Dudley by empowering families to provide the best possible start in life for their children. It is so important that we support new fathers by building their confidence and skills as it makes a real difference in their child’s life. Through their work with DadPads, the Family Nurse Partnership is helping to build happier and healthier families in the borough.”
To find out more about the Family Nurse Partnership in the Dudley borough, email Bchft.dudleyfnpservice@nhs.net or call 01384 366662.