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Parents and clinicians with lived experience from all over Australia were consulted to provide feedback on messages designed for dads “when things don’t go to plan”.
Writers, researchers, paediatricians, psychologists, medical staff, dads, mums, family members along with an Aboriginal Advisory Group and an SMS4dads Reference Group have all played an integral role in the SMS4dads message design.
Our Partners Red Nose, PANDA, Miracle Babies and Life’s Little Treasures Foundation contributed to the message design, development and delivery.
We would like to thank everyone involved in the design and development of SMS4dads messages. We are certainly grateful to have such expertise on board along with the generous, honest and open sharing from people with lived experience – who contribute to help pave a smoother path and support for dads and dads-to-be in the future.
The Grief and Loss messages focus on:
SMS4dads is FREE and dads from anywhere in Australia can JOIN UP
Dads enrol via SMS4dads.com – the JOIN UP button is on the menu on each page. When dads enrol they choose which message set is the most suitable for them at the time and they also enter their babies due and/or actual date of birth. If things don’t go to plan with the pregnancy or birth the dads are then sent a unique set of messages for bereaved dads.
If a dad experiences a loss of a pregnancy, a baby during the birth or soon after, and is not already enrolled in SMS4dads, he can sign up to receive the grief and loss support messages via Red Nose
The grief & loss messages with information and support are sent over a 15-week period.
More messages are sent in the first few weeks when dads are trying to come to terms with what has happened. Over time the messages decrease in frequency down to 2 per week.
Messages are sent at the same time each day so that dads can recognise who the text is from and can then read them at a time that is right for them.
Dads can reply to any message to give feedback or to opt out.
NOTE
SMS4dads refers to dads as, he/him/his in current text message sets. This is a deliberate strategy to talk directly to fathers. It is known that fathers often think that information with less gendered language, such as parent, is not directed at them. We understand that families (and dads) come in all shapes, sizes, backgrounds, genders, and non-binary representations and that some family members may prefer different wording. SMS4dads does not require any gender-related disclosure, and we hope those who enrol find the information useful.
Richard’s research revealed possible long-term negative impacts on the children of dads with mental health issues. Fathers’ depressive symptoms in the first year after the birth predicted behaviour problems in their children years later.
“If dads’ mental health has such a dramatic impact then we need to be screening dads for depression, not just mums,” Richard explains.
In response to these limitations, Richard and his team have designed a smart-phone based program that allows mobile connection for new and expectant dads.
Participants receive texts containing information and links, and self-report their mood. If the mood tracker identifies dads as needing extra support, they will be offered a phone call from a counsellor trained in this area.
Following the success of the pilot of the SMS4dads program, Funding was received to enable a National roll-out.
“When dad’s miss antenatal classes or activities, they also miss out on contact and links to other people. They may never get the chance to say to anyone, look I’m really stressed,” he points out.
“SMS4dads is a way of bringing dads into the health system and keeping them linked in with services and support,” explains Richard.
Richard credits a varied career, a talented and innovative team, and much life experience for affording him the insight needed to address the challenges related to actively engaging dads.
After completing his masters in Medical Science, studying epidemiology, Richard earned his PhD focusing on fathers and attachment.
“Fathers are invisible in many places, and that is endemic. Not because people dislike fathers, but because the system is set up to be focused on mothers.”
Some services and organisations are aware of the need to engage dads, but have been unsuccessful in their attempts.
“When people are challenged about this, they generally want dads involved,” Richard affirms.
“Often, however, they just don’t know how to do it.”
Richard works with health professionals on issues related to fathers, and has delivered many antenatal programs for expectant dads.
He credits his own family with giving him an understanding of the role of fathers needed to make his work relevant.
“I have three daughters and two stepdaughters,”
“My kids would say they taught me just about everything I know and they’d be right. They’ve taught me a lot, and still do.”
Richard’s research revealed possible long-term negative impacts on the children of dads with mental health issues. Fathers’ depressive symptoms in the first year after the birth predicted behaviour problems in their children years later.
“If dads’ mental health has such a dramatic impact then we need to be screening dads for depression, not just mums,” Richard explains.
In response to these limitations, Richard and his team have designed a smart-phone based program that allows mobile connection for new and expectant dads.
Participants receive texts containing information and links, and self-report their mood. If the mood tracker identifies dads as needing extra support, they will be offered a phone call from a counsellor trained in this area.
Following the success of the pilot of the SMS4dads program, Funding was received to enable a National roll-out.
“When dad’s miss antenatal classes or activities, they also miss out on contact and links to other people. They may never get the chance to say to anyone, look I’m really stressed,” he points out.
“SMS4dads is a way of bringing dads into the health system and keeping them linked in with services and support,” explains Richard.