Peer-reviewed article
Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Fathers' Experiences of Early Parenting: A Qualitative Study.
Rakime Elmir, Simone Ormsby, Particia Leahy-Warren, Lloyd Frank Philpott, Alka Kothari et al. ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001This qualitative study explored the early parenting support needs of culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) fathers in Australia during the perinatal period. Researchers conducted semi-structured interviews with 15 CALD fathers and found they experience pressure to meet socio-cultural expectations, navigate unfamiliar healthcare settings, and often lack adequate support from health professionals and paid parental leave. The study identified that CALD fathers benefit from peer support groups and online information, and recommends creating more inclusive maternity services and reforming parental leave policies to better support diverse families.
Key points
- CALD fathers feel pressure to meet socio-cultural expectations while supporting their families and earning a living
- Health professionals often do not encourage fathers to be active parenting partners and assume they have knowledge about pregnancy and birth
- Some fathers struggled with transition to parenthood due to lack of paid parental support or limited family support networks
- Fathers found alternatives to manage early postpartum weeks through peer support groups and online information
- Maternity settings need to become 'father-inclusive' environments with culturally appropriate support and health professionals require cultural competence training
Limitations
This is a small qualitative study with 15 self-selected CALD fathers in Australia, so findings may not be fully generalisable to all diverse communities or regions. The study did not include patient or public involvement in its design, conduct or reporting.
Abstract
AIM: This study aimed to explore culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) fathers' early parenting support needs in the perinatal period in Australia. DESIGN: A qualitative descriptive research study. Participant fathers were recruited using purposive and snowball sampling who self-identified as CALD. METHODS: Data were collected through semi-structured telephone interviews with 15 Australian fathers aged between 29 and 56 years in July-November 2022. Data were analysed using Braun and Clarke's six stages of thematic analysis to code, categorise and identify themes from the data. FINDINGS: Four major themes and six sub-themes emerged from the data, 'Under pressure', 'Slipping through the cracks', 'Gaining knowledge and support by health professionals', and 'Path ahead: changed roles and being supported by peers' that encompassed fathers' early parenting experiences and support needs in the perinatal period. CONCLUSION: Culturally and linguistically diverse fathers experience challenges in navigating maternal health care settings and at times interactions with health professionals. However, findings from this study showed that fathers were determined to navigate resources, services and networks that supported their transition to fatherhood in the early postpartum weeks. There is a need for maternity settings to be a 'father-inclusive' environment where informational and practical support is readily available to them. Legislation reform is needed that recognises fathers as parents who require adequate 'paid' parental leave entitlements that foster family relationships and recognises the role fathers play in the development of their child. IMPLICATIONS FOR THE PROFESSION AND/OR PATIENT CARE: This study provides insights into the support needs of CALD fathers in the perinatal period. Findings from this study have the potential to shape and design culturally appropriate health services and interventions tailored to CALD fathers that meet their nuanced needs through the lens of cultural competence and trauma informed maternity care. IMPACT: What problem did the study address?: The study explored the support needs of CALD fathers in the perinatal period. What were the main findings?: The findings revealed CALD fathers feel a sense of responsibility and pressure to live up to socio-cultural expectations and support the family unit while engaging in paid employment to earn a living. At times fathers were not encouraged to be parenting partners by health professionals, and there was an expectation that they would be familiar and have knowledge about pregnancy, labour, birth and the transition to fatherhood. Some fathers struggled with their transition to parenthood either due to lack of paid parental support or limited to no family support. However, some fathers found alternatives to manage and adjust in the early weeks postpartum, which included peer support groups and online information. Where and on whom will the research have an impact?: The research has the potential to impact all fathers, as the findings may be transferrable across a number of communities. The research also has the potential to influence cultural competence training for health care professionals and inform policy development that employs a family centred model of maternity care inclusive of culturally diverse families. REPORTING METHOD: The paper has adhered to the EQUATOR COREQ reporting guideline. NO PATIENT OR PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT: This study did not include patient or public involvement in its design, conduct or reporting.