Parent support such as the Parent Information Service run by the mental health charity YoungMinds provides a lifeline for those needing to discuss their concerns about their child's mental health. However, such services have traditionally been accessed by mothers, and feel less approachable to fathers.
Fathers are equally important as mothers when it comes to supporting the emotional and behavioural needs of children. Children and young people who have both their parents engaged in their development from birth benefit from greater emotional resilience and adjustment to life experiences. Yet research shows that mothers are more than nine times more likely than fathers to seek support for young people who are having difficulties. This strong imbalance suggests that fathers should take a more active role, something YoungMinds' latest campaign, 'Those YoungMinds', seeks to address.
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