Lost Dads: The Fathers and Family Breakdown, Separation, and Divorce Project

"We must acknowledge the value fathers have on the lives of children, regardless of whether parents stay together, separate or divorce." - Dr Ben Hine, Head of Applied Psychology at the University of West London

We're working with the University of West London (UWL) ahead of International Men's Day on a ground-breaking research project conducted by Dr Ben Hine, Head of Applied Psychology at UWL. The most comprehensive study of its kind, Lost Dads: The Fathers and Family Breakdown, Separation, and Divorce Project (FBSD) uncovers the hidden public health crisis affecting men following family breakdown, exploring the links between family breakdown, family court involvement, and mental health issues for fathers.

Comprising interviews with over 1000 men seeking help from support charities, the research revealed that 40% of men seeking help after family breakdown had suicidal thoughts. Men are 11 times more likely than women to think about ending their life at this time. The study acknowledges separated fathers as an extremely vulnerable group, highlighting an urgent need for action. Recommendations from the report include greater support for separated families, a rebuttal presumption of 50/50 shared responsibility, reforms of the Family Court system and increased recognition of men as valuable parental figures in children’s lives.