Dad and Me

Scope has joined forces with Netbuddy to launch a new Dad and Me project designed to lift the lid on male caring.

With the focus too often on the role of their female counterparts, the project is designed to scratch beneath the surface and find out what dads think and how they’re coping.

An estimated one in 20 children in the UK are disabled (that equates to about 770,000 children) and means as much as 5% of the population could be carer dads.

The campaign is a partnership between Netbuddy and Scope - two charities providing support to those caring for disabled relatives.

Little is known about the father’s role in caring for disabled children or adults, so the survey will reveal their thoughts and challenges.

“When it comes to caring, the male role can often be overlooked,” says Deborah Gundle, Netbuddy Founder.

“We are calling on dads to speak out about how they care for their loved ones in order to ensure they are getting the support they need and help us build a stronger community where dads can work together, sharing advice and tips.”

With Father’s Day coming up, families across the country will be celebrating their dads and saying thank you for all they do. The Dad and Me project wants to use this special time to offer a platform for fathers to air their thoughts and opinions, and unveil the wide-ranging support that fathers give to their children, whether young or grown up, each and every day.

It will cover questions and issues such as:

• Do dads feel as confident as mums?
• Do their employers and work colleagues know they care for a disabled child?
• Do they feel that they can talk to others easily if things are tough?
• What would make dads more confident as carers?

“These are all questions we need to ask of dad carers to find out what can be done to help them, and the person they care for, live happy, fulfilled and safe lives,” Deborah continues.

“We all know dads are amazing when it comes to fixing broken toys or building tree houses, but caring for someone with a learning disability can be a whole new world.

"Although there is some recognition for dads, we’re hoping to create a greater awareness of gender roles in caring and the impact of male carers. They should be receiving much more attention and get the same level of help and advice.

"We hope this survey will show the breadth of their talents and caring nature when it comes to looking after children with challenging needs.”

The results will form part of a wider Dad and Me campaign for Netbuddy and Scope to help change common misperceptions and actively promote the important role of male carers.

Survey results will be posted here in due course.