Support for Dads and Carers
The need
According to the Institute of Health Visting (2021) Approximately 10% of fathers experience perinatal mental illness, and 25-50% of fathers will experience perinatal anxiety or depression when the mother also has a perinatal mental illness.
The number of men who become depressed in the first year after becoming a dad is double that of the general population. Twenty five percent of dads experience mild depressive symptoms and around 10% to 12% have a diagnosis of depression. – NCT (2022)
“Dads have not gone through the physical trauma of childbirth so might not want to ‘complain’ about feeling awful after what their partner has gone through. Dads must be on it from minute one to make sure everything is in place for mum and baby. It’s a lot of pressure and can be completely overwhelming”.
Quote from a Dad who has used The PANDAS Foundation services
Fathers and their mental health
Fathers play a critical role within families. Whilst attention is paid both physically and from a mental health aspect for mothers during and beyond the maternity period (quite rightly!), many fathers’ mental health is not acknowledged or considered and is often overlooked.
Whilst work is being done to create more pathways for access for mental health support for men, much more needs to be done for the considerations throughout the maternal journey for dads too. Fathers talking about their feelings, having more understanding and education of perinatal mental illness in men, and seeking help can not only support themselves seeking the vital support and recovery they need, but also allow others to feel they are less alone and potentially reach out for help.
Our work to date
We currently support fathers who need help with their mental health throughout the parental journey (for information about Dads’ Mental Health conditions please do click on our pages here for more).
But we want to reach many more dads and carers through our eight support services and inspirational and encouraging social media pages.
In December 2023 PANDAS Foundation hit our target of reaching £5K which was then doubled to £10K funded by The Big Give. Our commitment is to improve, expand and reach more dads and carers who need us by expanding our services and maximising our knowledge and reducing stigma around fathers and their mental health. We are in the process of recruiting men who would like to volunteer for us. If you would be interested please head to our “volunteer for us” pages.
For information on signs and symptoms of postnatal depression and perinatal mental illness in fathers, please head to our ‘What is PND pages’
We are working hard on new ideas and can’t wait to share more!
PANDAS Support services in place for Dads and Carers
PANDAS Foundation recognises and encourages support for fathers and carers from conception through to birth and beyond. Within our charity we have male volunteers who have all previously received support by The PANDAS Foundation services. They all now have the training and lived experiences that is relatable to many dads who use our support.
Rahim
I have been volunteering for PANDAS for just over a year. I joined as a Helpline volunteer after using the service myself when my wife had PND.
The service was absolutely amazing and after the call it got me thinking how, with my personal and professional experience, I could give back to a cause and charity that had offered me so much when I most needed it.
My wife has suffered PND with all of our three children and I have supported her through it each time so I know, firsthand, how much this issue can affect someone. In honestly, I think I too probably suffered with PND myself but without even realising it.
Professionally, working as a health clinician in the ambulance service, 1 have had countless encounters with patients with PND. I have also witnessed many cultural taboos around perinatal mental health. These insights and experience only make me more passionate about volunteering for PANDAS.
PANDAS is such a great platform to provide help and support to those that suffer or those who are supporting someone with perinatal mental health.
The charity is led by volunteers who all have their own shared-experience and we all have a common goal in helping those who are struggling.
Personally volunteering gives me a sense of fulfilment that I can help others like I have previously been helped. Community service is also an integral part of my faith and volunteering with PANDAS allows me to fulfill this religious duty.
If you have the skills, desire and capability then please volunteer for PANDAS, it’s a great team with lots of opportunities for personal development, and you make a massive impact on people’s lives when they need it most.
Male volunteers are really under-represented in this area, despite many men sufferring with PND or supporting their partner with it, so you will be hugely appreciated and welcomed if you join.
Ollie
I have volunteered for PANDAS since May 2022, but I actually began my journey as a service user in September 2019.
I had suffered with depression and anxiety for a long time prior to the birth of my first. Then, due to a traumatic pregnancy and a rough birth, I became worse and needed to seek help. That led me to the PANDAS Facebook group that I now help maintain. The space helped me so much, just knowing that I had a safe space to vent my feelings and problems helped ease the feeling of guilt that I was bothering my partner, especially after we had been through so much.
After using the group was a couple of years, I then learnt PANDAS were looking for volunteers and, knowing I was in a much better place then because of the support I’d got from PANDAS, I decided to step up!
My favourite part of my volunteering is our weekly Dad’s Zoom calls and the rapport I have with all the Dads on there is absolutely amazing; cracking jokes, sharing feelings and just knowing we are making a difference to one another directly because of our thoughts and experiences.
To anyone who is considering volunteering, you will not regret it. No matter which department you work in, you will be volunteering with a team of amazing and caring people who all look out for each other, ensuring that you are also
Our services include:
- Dads closed Group.
- Weekly call – Thursday for both parents
- Email support.
- Group support- nationwide.
- Helpline
- WhatsApp service
- Social media pages with relatable content
- ‘I need help ‘document for Dads.
Where else can you receive help for Mental illness for fathers?
NHS talking therapies.
If you live in England and are aged 18 or over, you can access NHS talking therapies services for anxiety and depression. You need to be registered with a GP to get talking therapies on the NHS.
A GP can refer you, or you can refer yourself directly without a referral.
Mind You can contact Mind’s Infoline 9am to 6pm, Monday to Friday on 0300 123 3393. Text them on 86463, or email info@mind.org.uk.
CALM
The Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) offer support to any man who is down or in crisis online, over the phone on 0800 58 58 58, or on
Samaritans
Day or night, Samaritans are there if you need to talk. Call them on 116 123.
Media
Some of the work below PANDAS has contributed to, to spread the word and raise the voice of fathers struggling with heir perinatal mental health.
EE- link EastEnders spoilers: Stuart reveals truth over connecting with Roland | Soaps | Metro News
Guardian Link- ‘I didn’t even know men could get it’: the hidden impact of male postnatal depression | Postnatal depression | The Guardian
If you need urgent help….
If you need urgent help or are worried about a loved one, call the Samaritans on 116 123 or the emergency services on 999.
Other ways we can support you
How you can help us
