P-06-1255 Ensure fathers/birth partners are involved in all assessments & care throughout the perinatal period

P-06-1255 Ensure fathers/birth partners are involved in all assessments & care throughout the perinatal period

Completed

 

This petition was submitted by Mark Williams, having collected a total of 322  signatures.

 

Text of Petition:                     

The Covid-19 pandemic and resulting regulations have had a devastating impact on many fathers/partners who were not permitted at scans, assessments or sometimes even the baby’s birth. Many fathers missed the birth altogether whilst being left outside in car parks for several hours and even days.

Fathers’ experiences must be acknowledged and reviewed to inform future decision making and NHS guidance to ensure fathers/partners are treated fairly and not excluded in the future - even in a pandemic.

 

Additional Information:

Whilst the negative impact on mothers has been highlighted, it is also important to recognise the effect on fathers/partners. Being excluded in this way has resulted in well-being and mental health issues, anxiety and concerns about the mother and the baby’s health whilst being denied such precious and important experiences.

My name is Mark Williams, and I started the campaign for the Mother and Baby Unit in Wales some years ago. It’s positive that policies have since changed to be more inclusive of fathers resulting in better outcomes for the whole family and the development of the child.

Further detail to support this petition can be found in our study which suggests the need to consider the effects of COVID-19 on fathers as well, as they have been rather overlooked by previous research that has mainly focused on mothers, and to plan specific interventions able to also take them into account.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34510515/

New fatherhood in a pandemic: Challenges and resources for new fathers and partners during COVID-19 - https://blogs.surrey.ac.uk/sociology/2020/04/07/new-fatherhood-in-a-pandemic-challenges-and-resources-for-new-fathers-and-partners-during-covid-19/ 

 

person holding baby feet

 

 

Status

This petition was considered completed by the Petitions Committee at its meeting on 21/03/2022.

 

The Committee considered the correspondence received and noted that positive action is being taken to address concerns regarding fathers’ involvement throughout the perinatal period and that the petitioner has welcomed the opportunity to be involved in shaping and influencing future work. The Committee therefore agreed to thank the petitioner for raising this important issue, campaigning to seek change for others – and closed the petition.

 

Full details of the consideration of this petition by the Committee and related documents can be seen on the Meetings tab above.

It was first considered by the Petitions Committee on 21/03/2022.

 

 

Senedd Constituency and Region

  • Ogmore
  • South Wales West

 

Further information

 

Business type: Petition

Reason considered: Senedd Business;

Status: For consideration

First published: 06/04/2022