The Australian Fatherhood Bulletin
The Fatherhood Bulletin gives dads a voice to convey their experiences of fathering and provides information about up to date research on fathers’ wellbeing and on their role in their children’s and partners’ lives. In 2020, the AFRC took over production of the Australian Fatherhood Bulletin to create Issue #50. We respectfully acknowledge the work that Richard Fletcher has put into the development and dissemination of the bulletin over many years. Previous editions of the bulletin can be accessed here.
ISSUE #56: AUTUMN 2025 EDITION
Our Autumn 2025 edition of the Australian Fatherhood Research Bulletin highlights the often-overlooked issue of fathers who experience birth trauma. This edition includes important recounts from dads describing their experience of birth trauma and the impacts that it has had on them and their families. This edition also connects readers with the services that Australian fathers can reach out to for support, as well as the current research bringing this hidden topic to light.
ISSUE #55: WINTER 2024 EDITION
Our Winter 2024 edition of the Australian Fatherhood Research Bulletin uncovers fathers’ experiences of co-sleeping with their children and the complex approach to official health advice around this. This edition includes stories from dads sharing their perspective on shared sleeping arrangements and research connected to co-sleeping and fathers’ sleep.
ISSUE #54: SPRING 2023 EDITION
Our Spring 2023 edition of the Australian Fatherhood Research Bulletin focuses on the role of fathers in shared reading with their child. This edition includes stories from dads describing their experiences of discovering the importance of reading with their children and a go-to list of great picture books about dads.
ISSUE #53: SPRING 2022 EDITION
Our Spring 2022 edition of the Australian Fatherhood Research Bulletin focuses on parental leave.
Issue #52: Autumn 2022 Edition
Our Autumn 2022 edition of the Australian Fatherhood Research Bulletin focuses on the experiences of rural dads.
Issue #51: Autumn 2021 Edition
Our Autumn 2021 edition of the Australian Fatherhood Research Bulletin focuses on the challenging topic of men and pregnancy loss. The grief that fathers feel in the event of a miscarriage or stillbirth or other loss of a child is often experienced in silence. This issue tells the stories of fathers who have lived with this grief. It reports on research in the field of paternal grief and highlights available support services.
Issue #50: Spring 2020 Edition
Our 2020 spring edition of the Australian Fatherhood Research Bulletin focuses on the aspects of feeling successful as a dad. This edition includes stories from dads, programs and information about father inclusive practice, fatherhood news, dads in the media, and new fatherhood research.
ALL PREVIOUS ISSUES OF THE FATHERHOOD bulletin
Richard Fletcher founded the Fatherhood Bulletin and published issues across many years. The AFRC respectfully acknowledges his work in developing and driving this resource for fathers, practitioners and fatherhood researchers.
To read the prior editions of the Fatherhood Bulletin, click the link below:
Peer-Reviewed Publications
The AFRC includes a number of working groups which work towards advancing fatherhood research and publishing their findings in peer-reviewed journals to inform practice and future research.
SYSTEMATIC REVIEW WORKING GROUP 2024 PUBLICATION
Wynter, K., Francis, L. M., Borgkvist, A., Dixson, B., D'Souza, L., Duursma, E., May, C., Sher, L., & George, J. S. (2024). Effectiveness of Father-Focused Interventions to Prevent or Reduce Intimate Partner Violence During Pregnancy and Early Parenthood: A Systematic Review. Trauma, violence & abuse, 15248380241277270. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1177/15248380241277270
Data Analysis Working Group 2023 Publication
Giallo, R., Wynter, K., McMahon, G., Seymour, M., Fogarty, A., Cooklin, A., ... & Macdonald, J. A. (2023). Preconception factors associated with postnatal mental health and suicidality among first-time fathers: results from an Australian Longitudinal Study of Men’s Health. Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology, 1-8. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-023-02421-3
Data Analysis Working Group 2021 Publication
Macdonald J.A., Graeme L.G., Wynter K., Cooke D., Hutchinson D., Kendall G., StGeorge J., Dowse E., Francis L.M., McBride N., Fairweather A.K., Di Manno L., Olsson C.A., Allsop S., Leach L., & Youssef G.J. (2021). How are you sleeping? Starting the conversation with fathers about their mental health in the early parenting years. Journal of Affective Disorders, 281, 727-737. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2020.11.081
Systematic Review Working Group 2020 Publication
Wynter, K., Francis, L.M., Fletcher, R., McBride, N., Dowse, E., Wilson, N., Di Manno, L., Teague, S., Macdonald, J. A., & The Australian Fatherhood Research Consortium. (2020) Sleep, mental health and wellbeing among fathers of infants up to one year postpartum: A scoping review. Midwifery, 88, 1-23, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.midw.2020.102738
AFRC Member Updates
Australian Fatherhood Research Symposium Programs
The AFRC hosts the Australian Fatherhood Research Symposium annually. With each symposium we publish a program of the event which includes the schedule and outline of the events of the symposium and abstracts of presentations given at the symposium.
2025 SYMPOSIUM
The 2025 Australian Fatherhood Research Symposium featured research and poster presentations, a Keynote presentation by Professor Brenda Volling (USA), and invited presentations by Professor Anna Tarrant (UK), community advocate Mark Williams (UK), and Associate Professor Richard Fletcher (AUS). The symposium celebrated its 10th anniversary and a decade of growing the science of fatherhood. You can find further information and all the research presentation abstracts in the full program booklet below.
2024 SYMPOSIUM
The 2024 Australian Fatherhood Research Symposium featured research and poster presentations, a Keynote presentation by Professor Milton Kotelchuck, and a Lived Experience Panel of fathers who were involved in a health intervention. You can find further information and all the research presentation abstracts in the full program booklet below.
2023 SYMPOSIUM
The 2023 Australian Fatherhood Research Symposium featured research and poster presentations, and Keynote addresses by Thomas Mayo and Prof. Natasha Cabrera. You can find further information and all the research presentation abstracts in the full program booklet below.
2022 SYMPOSIUM
The 2022 Australian Fatherhood Research Symposium featured research and poster presentations, and Keynote addresses by Prof. Craig Garfield, Prof. Hiram Fitzgerald, and Dr. Cameron Willis. You can find further information and all the research presentation abstracts in the full program booklet below.
2021 SYMPOSIUM
The 2021 Australian Fatherhood Research Symposium featured a Keynote address by Prof. Alistair Thomson, research presentations, workshops, and collaborative working group meetings. You can find further information and all the research presentation abstracts in the full program booklet below.
The 2020 Symposium
The AFRS 2020 was an online, trimmed down version of the Symposium due to the COVID-19 pandemic. At this event the working groups of the Australian Fatherhood Research Consortium hosted a series of online meetings in place of the symposium, to provide opportunities for networking and collaboration.
The 2019 Symposium
The AFRS 2019 was hosted at Deakin Downtown, Melbourne. It featured keynote presentations by Prof John Aitken, Emma Walsh, and Prof Paul Ramchandani. We also has a number of interactive sessions and working group meetings. See the symposium booklet for a copy of the abstracts of the presentations made at this symposium.
The 2018 Symposium
The AFRS 2018 featured plenary sessions, working group meetings, and poster presentations. For a copy of abstracts of presentations made at this symposium see the program booklet below.
The 2017 Symposium
The AFRS 2017 featured breakout groups on ‘Lifecourse perspective to understanding fatherhood’ and ‘Measurement in fatherhood research’. Abstracts of poster presentations and the full schedule of the event can be seen in the program below.