BABYGROWS have been hung up in Lichfield as part of a campaign calling for changes to paternity leave in the UK.
It comes after research from The Dad Shift and Movember showed that 45% of fathers experience symptoms of depression or anxiety after having a baby.
Dads are currently entitled to two weeks of statutory paternity leave at less than half the minimum wage – among lowest levels in Europe.
Rob Gaudin, from Lichfield, joined other protests across the country calling for change as he hung babygrows outside Lichfield Cathedral to raise awareness of the issue.
The Dad Shift say current levels of paternity pay mean taking leave is often difficult for new fathers.
Alex Lloyd Hunter, co-founder of The Dad Shift, said:
“The UK’s rubbish paternity leave is trashing dads’ mental health.
“Fathers are being forced back to work before they’re ready and when they’re needed most. These men are caught between the stress of keeping their families afloat financially, trying to be there for their partners and new babies, and the demand to perform at work as if nothing has changed.
“They have little choice but to suffer in silence and try to soldier on, even if it breaks them.”
The research found that just 6% of new fathers – around 1 in 8 of those experiencing multiple symptoms of depression – sought or received NHS mental health support.
Amy O’Connor, global lead of policy and advocacy at Movember, said:
“This is a public health crisis hiding in plain sight.
“Better paternity leave isn’t just good for families – it’s a vital mental health intervention that could spare hundreds of thousands of parents from poor mental health outcomes.
“That’s why we’re urging the Government to include new policies that support the health of fathers in the upcoming Men’s Health Strategy, including longer, better-paid statutory paternity leave.
“Families can help make that a reality by responding to the government’s call for evidence that’s open now.”
