Taking it Further
This is not an exhaustive list but provides a place to start if you are looking to improve your ability to signpost dads to support and resources.
Courses
Family Hubs For dads in Kent, many Family Hubs run courses designed to prepare for parenthood. Enquire at your local Family Hub to find out what courses are accessible for dads in your area.
Free Online Courses Kent residents have free access to a range of online courses, including antenatal courses, courses aimed at understanding early infant development and understanding more about preterm or unwell babies. Courses can be accessed at home by visiting inourplace.co.uk and using the code Invicta
Family Learning run free courses designed for parents, children and carers to share their learning experience in an exciting and interactive learning environment. They provide courses focusing on creativity, English, maths and language (ESOL), first aid, health and wellbeing, Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) and parenting. Courses can be delivered in local venues or online.
Services
DadSpace. Provides a safe space for dads to talk, listen and share their experiences of fatherhood across the country. DadSpace is currently operating across a number of areas in Kent.
Release the Pressure. Kent offer free expert advice from trained counsellors for every mental health concern, via phone, text or webchat through their Release the Pressure campaign. Dads can text the word Kent to 85258 or phone 0800 107 0160 for a free confidential conversation at any time.
Birth Trauma Association. Provides support for parents who have been psychologically distressed by traumatic birth, including partners and fathers. Support is provided through a peer supporter model, and their team includes a ‘dad’ peer supporter for dads who would prefer to speak with someone who has experiences similar to their own.
Dads Unlimited. Supports the emotional safety of men across Kent and those they care about. They support the wellbeing of dads who are going through family breakdown through one-to-one mentoring, helping them to achieve a positive ongoing relationship with their children, reducing parental conflict and improving co-parenting relationships. They also support male victims of Domestic Abuse in England and Wales to provide them with emotional and practical support, to reduce risk, increase safety, and protect them and their families from harm.
Resources
Start for Life emails by the NHS. Start for Life emails have been created to support throughout pregnancy and parenthood. Once signed up, you will receive regular emails tailored to your stage of pregnancy or your child's age.
Getting to Know Your Baby by The Association of Infant Mental Health. Getting to Know Your Baby videos have been designed to help parents, caregivers, and health professionals to know how to support the development of a baby’s emotional wellbeing.
Becoming Dad: A guide for new fathers, by Fatherhood Institute in partnership with the Mental Health Foundation. An evidence-based guide to help dads navigate their personal journeys into fatherhood.
DadPad. DadPad is a guide for new dads developed with the NHS. It provides the practical skills and knowledge to create a special bond with baby and give them the best start in life. Dads across Kent and Medway can get free access to DadPad by downloading the app and entering a Kent postcode.
Tiny Happy People, by the BBC. Tiny Happy People helps parents to develop their child’s language and communication skills, so they get the best start in life. It includes information on why and how to bond with a child and ideas and activities that are easy to build into a daily routine.
