Supporting CALD men’s journey into fatherhood
Western Sydney University, in partnership with the PREPARE Foundation, has developed research-informed video resources designed to support new and expectant fathers from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse backgrounds as they transition into parenthood.
Project lead Associate Professor Rakime Elmir at the University’s School of Nursing and Midwifery says follow-up research has shown CALD dads experience overwhelming pressure to meet socio-cultural expectations of being the provider, supporter and protector of the family, and that the cost of accessing support and services can be a prohibitive barrier.
“The challenges in the perinatal period can be even greater for fathers from culturally diverse backgrounds, particularly men who are recent migrants or refugees because the social and cultural expectations of fathers differ across cultures,” said Associate Professor Elmir.
“The ability to seek support is influenced by cultural beliefs including understandings of gender roles, faith and religious beliefs, as well as socio-economic status.”
Research has revealed that fathers have a significant impact on maternal wellbeing including pregnancy outcomes such as mode of birth and the child’s physical, mental, behavioural, social, and emotional development, she says.
“It’s important that dads are also supported during the perinatal period to ensure positive outcomes for the whole family. In some cultures, it is viewed as a sign of weakness or taboo for men to express feelings and emotions when it came to reflecting on birth, so our video resources aim to address this gap in support with a more holistic, family centred approach.”
The video resources are co-designed with fathers with lived experience and cover topics such as traditional fatherhood, the joys and challenges of fatherhood, tips for expectant and new fathers and advice from health professionals.
“Our feasibility study has shown the videos are helping to normalise and empower fathers to seek support and speak with health professionals for advice and share their experiences with other fathers to mitigate distress and anxiety post-birth and the transition to fatherhood,” said Dr Elmir.
“Investing in support for fathers not only improves father’s health and wellbeing, it’s positively impacting the father-infant bond, their children’s growth and development, and also improves the support that mothers receive from their partners.”
Steven Kennedy established the Prepare Foundation following his experience with postnatal depression following the birth of his son in 2017.
In an attempt to understand his own struggles, Kennedy concluded that expectant fathers were not adequately prepared for supporting childbirth. His vision is “to empower fathers to thrive in their fatherhood journey, creating a positive and lasting impact on their lives and the lives of their families.”
We aim to create a thriving community of empowered fathers who are actively involved in their children’s growth and development from the moment they find out they’re going to be a dad.
Learn more about the Western University and Prepare Foundation Research project.