Support group for dads launches at Gloucester Hospital

A support group for fathers of babies who start their life at Gloucester's neonatal unit officially launched on 2 October in a celebration of the group's establishment and work to date.

SHED (Support and Help for Every Dad) was established this year to run alongside the broader support group HOPE and offers peer support for dads who are coping with the wide range of issues associated with having a baby on the unit.

Rob Harrison, one of SHED's founding members, says: "SHED wants to bring together dads to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to speak, learn or listen to other fathers who have walked the same journey; balancing caring for a new child, partner, siblings and families - while in many cases having to continue to work to provide for their family."

Deborah Lee, Chief Executive of Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, comments: "We are delighted to be working with parents to establish these invaluable groups, which are providing such important support to the parents on the neonatal unit alongside the professional care we provide for babies and their parents.

"Having a baby that requires neonatal care is often a frightening time for parents who can find this bewildering and isolating, so being able to share the experience with other parents who have been through similar situations can be a real lifeline."