Fathers Matter  

Whatever role you play in your child’s life – we want to hear from you. 

Your experiences, challenges, relationship and time spent with your child all matter. By hearing from fathers like you, we can better understand what children and dads need, and how best to support them. 

This is your opportunity to share your experiences of being a father. 

Why do we need to hear from fathers?

Research around babies and family life has often focused on mothers, meaning fathers’ experiences have been overlooked. But we know fathers play an important role in children’s lives. 

By taking part, you’ll help researchers better understand: 

• children’s health and development 

• fathers’ wellbeing and mental health 

• family relationships 

• how services can better support fathers and families. 

Research involving fathers has already helped improve support for dads’ mental health, informed advice on safe sleep for babies, encouraged services such as health visitors and schools to involve fathers more, and contributed to policies including paid paternity leave. 
 

Why should I take part? 

What you tell us will help shape a better future for children. Plus, you will get a voucher as a thank-you for taking part.  

What if I don’t live with my baby’s other parent or my child?

If you don’t live with your baby’s mother or your child, we still want to hear from you. 

Understanding the lives of fathers with different living arrangements helps us create a better picture of what children and families need. 

There is no such thing as a “typical” dad. 

You might: 

• live separately from your child 

• co-parent with another parent 

• see your child regularly, less often or not at all 

• be a biological father, adoptive father or another father figure involved in raising a child. 

Families come in many different forms, and every experience is important.  

Your experiences could help improve support for future fathers and children across the UK. 
 

How do I take part?  

We know life can be busy. That’s why you can choose the option that works best for you. You can take part: 

• online, by phone or with an interviewer – the interviewer will be from one of three independent research organisations (Ipsos, NatCen or Verian).  

• during the day or evening. 

• on weekdays or weekends. 

We’ll work around your schedule to make taking part as easy as possible. 

What happens to the information I give? 

Your information stays private. Everything you tell us is confidential and used only for research. 

Your answers will never be shared with your baby’s other parent, and all information is stored securely in line with strict research standards. 

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