Postnatal Depression: Student Health Visitors' Perceptions of Their Role in Supporting Fathers.

A qualitative, Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) study was undertaken to explore student Health Visitors (HVs) perceptions’ of their role in supporting fathers when their partner has had Postnatal Depression (PND). Purposive sampling was used to ensure participants were chosen based on their ability to answer the research question. Data collection included one-to-one, semistructured interviews with student HVs /newly qualified HVs, which were then transcribed and analysed by the researcher. Themes within the data were identified during analysis. The findings demonstrate that student HVs felt that paternal mental health was not addressed in their training and they did not feel able to adequately support fathers in practice. Participants searched for a solution to how HVs can be more inclusive of fathers and how to support both parents in the postnatal period when the mother has got PND.