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Young father groups provide vital support

Men under 25 with newborn children can get the advice they need from support groups
Young dads

Support groups for young fathers succeed in providing assistance for men under the age of 25, research has shown.

Two support groups in deprived areas in Edinburgh and Leeds were studied as part of a research project by the Centre for Men’s Health at Leeds Beckett University.

The research published today (23 June) includes interviews with nine of the participants and four project workers.It reveals that men value having a space away from home in which they can relax.

Advice and friendship

The Supporting Young Dads report, by researcher Esmée Hanna, describes the benefits of support, advice and friendship from other young fathers.

Group activities are seen as important, and free transport, refreshments and activities are viewed positively by the men who took part.

New NHS Alliance co-chair and nurse Heather Henry has undertaken similar work with fathers in Salford. She told Nursing Standard that her work with the Salford Dadz group showed support is vital.

‘Fathers, who were generally over 30 in that group, said that if they were going to work with other fathers, they would need to work peer-to-peer’, she said.

‘Further work is needed in the area, to get higher numbers of younger men involved,’ she added.

 

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