Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the report by the Centre for Social Justice Testing Times: Supporting fathers during the perinatal period and early parenthood, published on 16 December; and in particular its findings that (1) inspection frameworks related to maternity services, Health Visitors, and Children’s Centres contain few direct references to “fathers”, (2) 69 per cent of new fathers thought that they “were made to feel like a ‘spare part’ during the pregnancy period”, and (3) 55 per cent of low income fathers said they were left to “pick it up themselves” compared to only 29 per cent of higher income fathers.

The Department is aware of the Centre for Social Justice’s recent report into supporting fathers during the perinatal period and early parenthood, published in December 2018. The Department recognises the vital role fathers can often play during pregnancy and early years, as well as the fact that every family is different.

We welcome the high levels of engagement fathers currently have with various aspects of the health service, as cited in the report, including the estimated 94% of new fathers that have attended one or more antenatal appointments, and almost all attending both ultrasound scans and the birth itself.

The Maternity Transformation Programme is working to make maternity care more personalised including responding to the needs of fathers as well as mothers. Postnatal and perinatal mental health care, maternity care and personalised care plans are recognised as important for the whole family, including fathers, and they should therefore be involved where appropriate.

Furthermore, the Healthy Child Programme states that the father’s contribution should be one of the key topics to be covered during a health and development review by a health visitor. It emphasises the importance of ensuring that contact with the family routinely involves and supports fathers, including non-resident fathers.