Help us improve the health support fathers receive
Today's dads are more 'hands-on' than ever before - and they need to be in good health to juggle their parenting roles. But our health services mostly ignore men's fatherhood. We want to change that.
Campaign
What we're calling for
We want all fathers to have the right to an NHS health-check, covering key issues that can impact their own ability to be a great dad, as well as the health of their child and its mother.
All new dads should receive high quality information to help them understand their roles and responsibilities, do the best job they can as a hands-on father and access help if they need it.
Health staff including midwives, health visitors, GPs and mental health practitioners should be trained and required to engage with fathers, and ‘see’ men’s fatherhood as a matter of routine.
The government should review NHS and other data systems, ensuring fathers’ details are routinely recorded and matched to their children’s – to support such father-engagement.
Discover our other fatherhood-focused campaign, 'Six weeks for dad', and help us secure a better statutory paternity offer for Britain's fathers
Why change is needed
Becoming a father is a life-changing experience. Most men cope well, but some struggle.
Fathers’ health matters to their children, partners, wider family, friends and colleagues – as well as to men themselves. Its impact can be deep and long-lasting.
By helping dads look after themselves, make better health decisions, and reach out if they’re struggling, we could also save the NHS a lot of money by shifting the emphasis from late intervention to early prevention.
Why a health check?
A health check for fathers within a year of the baby’s conception – carried out by a midwife, health visitor, GP, practice nurse or other qualified professional – could explore key conditions and behaviours that have been shown to impact on men’s own health and that of their loved ones.
These include:
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overweight / obesity
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mental health (especially stress, anxiety and depression)
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smoking
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alcohol and substance use
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fathers’ roles in supporting baby safety (including safe sleeping and shaken baby syndrome)*
*Our evidence review for the Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel (2021) found that fathers (including biological fathers, stepfathers and mothers’ partners) are more likely than mothers to kill or harm babies through shaking/abusive head trauma.
How much would it cost?
Our rough estimate for the cost of providing a 10-minute appointment with a GP or midwife is £50.*
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Fathers already have a right to take unpaid leave to accompany their partner to two antenatal appointments. If the father's health check happened at one of these appointments, and time off for this appointment was paid (to encourage take-up) this might add up to £129 to the bill.**
*This is based on an NHS England estimate
**This is based on an average earning man taking the maximum 6.5 hours (including travel) permitted under the current rules
What we're doing
Coordinating an open letter to Wes Streeting, to call for men’s roles as fathers to be factored into the Government’s thinking about men’s health – and lobbying key MPs, including members of the new Health Committee and Women & Equalities Committee
Working with our network of Fatherhood Champions to identify, pursue, and amplify innovative approaches to father-inclusive health provision
Reaching out to other organisations with an interest in men’s, maternal and child health, to build partnerships on the need for father-inclusive health policy and practice in the UK
​Sharing best practice with our practitioner database and developing in-depth case studies
How you can help
Health professional shoutout
We want to spotlight health professionals who are already doing a great job of actively engaging with, and supporting dads - despite this not being a requirement of their work. This will both reaffirm the importance and positive impact of engaging with fathers to their service leaders, and set an example for others to follow.
Share your advice
Becoming a dad can be a time of great happiness but its not unusual to experience difficulties as you adjust to sharp changes to your life and identity whilst dealing with practical and emotional obstacles.
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We're creating a collection of real-life fathers' best advice for coping with the challenges of fatherhood, as a resource to share with our followers.
Complete our practitioner survey
As a health professional with experience of delivering services to families, we want to know what you think about what most needs to change.
Results from our 'looking out for dad' survey (anonymised) will feed into our next 'Think Fathers' quarterly webinar and underpin a briefing we are drafting for senior health leaders.
Make a noise
Sign up to our newsletters (in the footer) to receive our quarterly email.
Post your story or thoughts on this issue on social media, using the hashtag #lookingoutfordad and tagging us.
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We don't receive any funding for our policy or campaigning work - please donate to the campaign today
Resources
Data and analysis
A table summarising research findings of fathers' health impacts on children by child age
Fatherhood Institute
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Written evidence to the former Health and Social Care Committee's inquiry into men's health
Fatherhood Institute
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Letter from the former Health and Social Care Committee to the former Government, outlining the main conclusions and recommendations of its inquiry into men's health [May 2024]
Steve Brine, former Chair of the Health and Social Care Committee
A Men's Health Strategy for England: Core Principles [policy paper]
Mark Brooks, Men and Boys Coalition; and Associate Professor Caroline Flurey, University of the West of England
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Levelling up men's health: the case for a men's health strategy
Men's Health Forum
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Movember
Reports
Partner organisations
