Dads in Distress offers vital support to Tamworth fathers doing it tough

Dads in Distress is a nationwide program which offers free and confidential support groups aimed at addressing issues faced by separated dads.

These issues range from maintaining contact with children and navigating the court system to managing feelings of isolation, depression, or suicidal thoughts.

The support group is hosting a launch event at The Tamworth Hotel on Thursday, May 30, and will meet every week thereafter at the Tamworth Family Support Services contact centre in West Tamworth.

Organiser and dad formerly in distress Philip Penfold says the organisation has been keeping fathers alive and present in their children's lives for more than 25 years.

"Dads that talk are less likely to attempt suicide. People that are willing to get it out are the ones that survive," Mr Penfold said.

From 2017 to 2021, more than 82 per cent of suicide deaths in Tamworth, Gunnedah, and the Liverpool Plains have been men, according to data from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW).

The proportion of men dying by suicide and the overall number of suicides have both been increasing since 2014.

Mr Penfold says separation and divorce often exacerbates feelings of isolation and depression, and when that happens men are unlikely to seek mental health support.

"Family breakdown has a significant impact on all parties, but men aren't very good naturally at supporting each other and there's not a lot of structure in finding support," he said.

"Men aren't used to asking for help, and they're often not good at getting help or giving help. They're not ashamed to seek it, but they struggle to say that they are struggling, even to themselves.

"The most common comment I get in these groups is 'I never realised other men are going through this,' and it's because they don't talk about it."

Dads in Distress is an Australia-wide organisation funded by local primary health networks (PHNs) to provide mental health support sessions in which groups of three to 12 men participate in two-hour roundtable discussions.

The first hour is for each participant to take turns sharing their stories, and after a break the second hour is for open discussion.

Tamworth will become the fifth support group to be set up in the Hunter New England PHN, the other four being Gosford, Newcastle, Maitland, and Singleton.

Having been through a "difficult" divorce himself nearly 20 years ago, Mr Penfold says the benefit he gained from joining the group's Maitland branch was invaluable, and he's excited to bring the program further inland.

"We're not trained counsellors, but we're people who have gone through it. The room is a small group of men hearing from each other, telling their stories, and hopefully getting the benefit of each other's experience," he said.

Mr Penfold encourages anyone interested in supporting men's mental health to come along, especially local counsellors, psychologists, and support workers.

"We're not just looking for men to come to seek help, we're also looking for men to come along to give their experience and help others," he said.

The sessions are also open to anyone supporting separated dads, regardless of gender. This includes family, friends, colleagues, and even ex-partners.

The Dads in Distress launch event will start in the beer garden at The Tamworth Hotel on Thursday, May 30 at 5:30pm. Attendance is free and bookings are not mandatory.

After the launch the group will meet every week at the Tamworth Family Support Services contact centre at 62 Gunnedah Road.