#leedsdads

In 2011 a group of new dads looking for ways to spend more time with their babies set up their own playgroup in a café in Leeds City Centre. Now they’re opening their doors for hundreds of other dads in the city.

‘Child Friendly Leeds Award Winning’ Leeds Dads is a voluntary charitable organisation that is supported by LCCT (Charity No. 1096860).

They bring together a diverse community of fathers for social interaction and support and host regular free playgroups and breakfast clubs for around 30 dads and their kids, organise social events, host an active presence on social media for dads to share their experiences and signpost towards expert parenting support. Leeds Dads is unique in their key aim of supporting fathers to actively engage with their children, and build lasting relationships. Their vision is to expand their output to build a Dad-Friendly Leeds - a city-wide culture of dads engaging with their pre-school kids.

Here is an example of what they do......

Pre Covid Activities

Leeds Dads Meet Up is a playgroup for dads and their pre-school kids. We met every third Sunday of the month from 2-4pm at The Holbeck Club. Around 30 dads and grandads meet with their children to enjoy arts craft, games, a singalong and storytime. It’s the home of Slung Low theatre group, who play an active role in promoting our message to dads in south Leeds. Leeds Dads Breakfast Club ran in partnership with Aireborough Children’s Centre in Guiseley. It was launched following a series of suicides of local dads with young children. Taking place on the first Saturday of each month, our Breakfast Club provided a space for dads and preschool kids to enjoy cooking breakfast, arts and crafts, or just jump around!

Leeds Dads had a fantastic reaction in Guiseley, bringing in 16 dads/session within just four sessions. The dads said the group helped combat stress and build a sense of peer support.

Adapting Under Covid

Coronavirus has stopped all face-face activities. So they have reinvented their services to cater for dads in this new environment: Leeds Dads #AskADad Facebook Live on facebook.com/leedsdads Tuesday nights offer parents an opportunity to talk to experts during a Facebook Live about issues affecting them during the current coronavirus situation. It includes topics such as:

Accessing health and care support Employment law, regulations around furlough, Benefits information, supporting children’s behaviour Going back to school Living with a disruptive or abusive partner Supporting both parents and childrens’ mental health

Leeds Dads and Kids Walks

Leeds Dads launched Pram Friendly Walks to help support dads mental health and maintain their connections with the group. They are within government guidelines and maintain social distancing. Up to 30 dads struggling with isolation meet other dads to share their feelings whilst gaining some well-needed exercise.

Leeds Dads Virtual Playhouse Playtime for dads and kids, Sun 2pm with Daddy Alex and his daughter Imogen! It includes a dance session, Baby Raves,  and singalongs. They also check out dads #Dadventure videos – kids’ adventures with dads in dinosaur suits, on obstacle courses, having water pistol fights, and whatever family fun they can create.

Free Food Parcel Service Leeds Dads distributed a thousand parcels of free fresh food through a confidential service every week to families in need across the city.

During lockdown from March to June 2020 over 21,000 meals were distributed by volunteers within Leeds Dads. In April 2020 this service helped The Real Junk Food Project to distribute 400 tons of redistributed food in one month.

Dadstastic Day Online Leeds Dads hosted the biggest online Fathers Day celebration in England! They ran free activities offering dozens of sessions that create opportunities for dads to interact with their families and kids up to primary age, and introduce them to: music, dance, science, storytelling, and arts and crafts with over 500 activity packs delivered free to families in Leeds, so they could join in with the online fun at their own homes.

Social Media 

By expanding their 100-strong ‘WhatsApp’ group and Facebook reach of 70,000 users/month, they are able to support families and dads experiencing hardships, especially during the current crisis.

Personal Stories

In August they lost one of our volunteers who took his life. Leeds Dads launched a fund to support his family, and signposted our dads to bereavement support and support for those at risk of suicide.

Mental Health Support via Signposting to Wellbeing and offering Peer Support:

“My wife imagined maternity to be 1:1 time with baby and taking weekly classes. Instead she’s taking care of two children as I’m working full time other than for paternity.”

“I’ve had a complete loss of work/life balance. A lack of productivity, a lack of routine. No exercise.”

“The kids are becoming more irrational, badly behaved, unhappy.. throwing things.. bouts of anger.. serious fights with siblings.” “All the money that was saved from not travelling to work, lunch breaks and travelling back has gone into the increased food shopping bill. I am really struggling to get the kids educated.. they seem disillusioned, not communicating.”

In a recent survey:

78% of Leeds Dads said they come to Leeds Dads to spend quality time with their children.

“It helped me feel confident to spend time with my son on my own”.

*Matt and Mark (NOT REAL NAMES) - both suffered from depression, Matt also from PTSD. He hadn’t been out with friends for years. Matt now helps organise Leeds Dads Nights Out. Mark manages part of our Dadstastic Day event.

*John and James (NOT REAL NAMES) had problems with alcohol and depression. We signposted both to support, and stayed engaged.

John now manages his alcoholism and is working. James’ IAPT course helps him to combat his depression.

*Aaron (NOT REAL NAME) lost his first child at birth. Leeds Dads helped him to combat anxiety, bond with his new baby, and build a lasting relationship.

*Leo (NOT REAL NAME) was unsure of how to raise his new baby because of his disabilities. Our support has helped build his confidence to be active in his child’s life.          

Leeds Dads - Community Group of the Year, Compassionate City Awards 2018 Adult Making a Difference, Child Friendly Leeds Awards 2018

www.leedsdads.org

www.twitter.com/leedsdads