“Before I got help, I was completely lost. Having someone who listened, understood and reassured me made all the difference. I feel like a better dad now.”
Dad Matters Salford is a completely free, confidential and non-judgemental service. It reaches, engages and supports dads in the perinatal period (during pregnancy and up to age 2) with attachment and bonding, mental health, supporting partners and accessing services, strengthening the relationships that matter the most in a baby’s life. If you feel you could do with some extra support to prepare you for your baby’s birth, or once you become a dad, get in touch.
Every baby deserves strong, loving relationships from the very beginning – and that includes a secure bond with their dad. But too often, fathers are left out of perinatal care and early years support, despite their vital role in their baby’s development. We currently support dads across Salford with one-to-one support, which can be face-to-face, phone support or video call.
Dad Matters Salford is powered by Home-Start – and that’s what makes it unique. It recognises that the best way to support babies is to support the people who care for them – including their dads. By strengthening early relationships between fathers and their babies, Dad Matters improves outcomes for the whole family.
We can support you if:
– You are expecting a baby, or have a child under 2
– You want to know more about building your relationship with your baby and the transition to fatherhood
– You are experiencing mental health challenges such as postnatal depression or anxiety
– You’re feeling isolated, detached, or unsure about your role as a dad
– You’re worried about your baby’s birth and how to support your partner.
What we can offer:
– 1-to-1 peer support: Support to which is tailored to your needs and is flexible to fit in with your busy life.
– Home-Start integration: Dads are supported alongside families within local communities and Family Hubs.
– Information and resources: Guidance on attachment, bonding, early child development, and mental health.
Why supporting dads matters
– Fathers play a vital role in their baby’s emotional, social, and cognitive development.
– Early involvement improves secure attachment, reduces parental stress, and benefits the whole family.
We accept self-referrals from fathers and referrals from midwives, health visitors, social workers, GP surgeries, and other local services.
PLEASE NOTE: The Dad Matters project is a peer support project commissioned to work with Dads in the peri-natal period that are experiencing mild to moderate Mental health struggles and/or the challenges that come with being a new Dad.
The project aims to support dads at an early preventative level and, as such, we do not currently accept referrals where dads have significant mental illness or where their child has a child protection plan or is in care proceedings.
What We Offer
Universal Engagement
Our local Home-Starts meet dads where they are – in hospitals, antenatal clinics, parks, and children’s centres. In the last year alone, local Home-Starts reached over 13,500 dads through universal Dad Matters engagement.
One-to-one peer support
Trained peer supporters – often dads themselves – offer personal support through local Home-Starts. Nearly 800 dads accessed this targeted support last year, thanks to local delivery and trusted relationships
Workshops and groups
Local Home-Starts offer dad-specific groups, Walk ‘n’ Talks, antenatal prep, and emotional wellbeing sessions – all grounded in the practical, non-judgemental approach Home-Start is so well known for.
Professional integration
Home-Start’s local partnerships allow connection with NHS trusts, Family Hubs, and parenting frameworks – connecting dads to wider family support services at the right time and helping services to improve their own offers for dads.
You can also find more information here, https://linktr.ee/DadMattersSalford
Volunteer With Us
If you’re a dad who’s had experience with Dad Matters in the past and would like to help other dads, who are in a current situation you have been, then we would love to hear from you. Your help and input can be invaluable. Even if you haven’t had experience with us in the past, then don’t let this put you off, as with any volunteers , we offer training and help is at hand every day. You can volunteer from as little as 30 minutes a month to make a real difference to fathers lives in Salford.
If you are ready to apply to become a Dad Matters volunteer for us, then please fill in the Dad Matters Volunteer Application form (by clicking on the button below), or if you’d like to receive a paper application call our offices directly on 0161 865 4222.