Enjoy regular father-friendly news and insights from Fathers Network Scotland and our guest contributors. Contact FNS with your own story.
Posted by · May 05, 2019 9:00 AM
Chris Miezitis is Fathers Network Scotland's Programme Lead. He runs our Understanding Dad training, which helps practitioners and services identify a more inclusive approach to their practice and service delivery. Chris also leads our How Are You Dad? pilot project, working with midwives and health visitors to encourage the involvement of dads from the antenatal stage right through to postnatal checks. Victoria Hospital Maternity Unit has recently won an award for a piece of promotional content and Chris tells us why this is such a huge achievement.
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Posted by Kirsty Nicholls · April 18, 2019 6:39 PM
Our Head of Marketing & Digital Content - Kirsty Nicholls - explains why she's walking the Kiltwalk for Fathers Network Scotland and why the charity's work is so important to her and her family.
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Posted by Kirsty Nicholls · April 16, 2019 6:18 PM
Did you know that the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) is the most widely-ratified international human rights treaty in history? 196 countries agree with it. It’s refreshing to consider this in light of the current global political discord, but perhaps unsurprising - and endlessly reassuring - when considering the citizens who it protects: Children.
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Posted by Kirsty Nicholls · April 04, 2019 2:47 PM
Fresh air, fun, family, friends and a great day out! Sound like your kind of thing? Then why not sign up for the Kiltwalk, enjoy one of the biggest outdoor events in Scotland and raise vital funds for Fathers Network Scotland at the same time!
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Posted by Kirsty Nicholls · March 14, 2019 12:05 PM
At our International Women's Day conference, we heard from Aviva who have launched a group-wide policy to offer men and women equal parental leave. Parents employed by Aviva will be eligible to the same amount of paid and unpaid time off, regardless of gender. We at Fathers Network Scotland are campaigning for an individual right to equal parent leave for both mums and dads, so we were keen to hear from a father who has experienced this. Matthew Kennedy is an Aviva employee from Glasgow and we asked him about his six months' paid parental leave.
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Posted by Kirsty Nicholls · February 28, 2019 3:25 PM
So, what's the big deal? Dad get two weeks of leave when he has a new baby. That supports mum through her recovery and gives him a chance to bond with baby, right? Not really. We believe that dads, children, mums and families require so much more. That's why we're so passionate about more accessible parental leave and flexible working for fathers.
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Posted by Kirsty Nicholls · February 04, 2019 4:53 PM
You may see the #TimeToTalk hashtag popping up in your social media feeds this week, as campaigners rally behind Time to Change. The organisation aims to challenge the stigma around mental health and get people talking about how they're really feeling. So this week we're paying particular attention to Birth Trauma and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, which can have a devastating impact on both mums and dads.
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Posted by Kirsty Nicholls · January 24, 2019 11:46 PM
The Scottish Government has funded us to increase the understanding by practitioners and NHS maternity staff of dads’ perinatal mental health, and the impact that it has on children, mums and families. We’ll provide training for midwives and health visitors in Fife, North Lanarkshire, Lothian, Tayside and Greater Glasgow, so that they feel confident to check in with dads during their family visits.
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Posted by Kirsty Nicholls · December 24, 2018 2:29 PM
Have you got a new baby this Christmas? Huge congratulations. Are your friends and family telling you what a wonderful time it must be for you? Had you imagined a magical, cosy Christmas? If your first festive season as a family isn't everything you thought it would be, then you're not alone. Richard tells us his story and explains why you shouldn't feel disappointed or beat yourself up if this Christmas isn't all sparkles and smiles.
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Posted by Kirsty Nicholls · December 22, 2018 9:34 AM
Although Christmas is meant to be a happy and joyful time, that isn't how everyone feels right now. Christmas can be stressful, especially for families with small children. David Waine is a fitness coach, personal trainer, nutrition consultant and dad to two little boys. He tells us about his own experiences of low mood and stress and the tactics he feels have helped him to boost his mental and physical health.
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