Fathers in Croydon can now access a free NHS-supported app designed to help with the challenges of early parenthood.
New NHS-backed app DadPad helps fathers navigate early parenthood
DadPad provides practical guidance for expectant and new fathers, covering feeding, nappy changes, safer sleep, bathing, and coping with a crying baby. It also offers advice on bonding through massage and play and highlights parental mental health concerns so dads can recognise warning signs and seek support.
Jason Perry, executive mayor of Croydon, told London Now: “Becoming a parent is one of life’s great milestones, but it can also feel daunting, particularly for new dads. We know that fathers have often been under-represented in maternity and early years support, and that is something we are determined to change.
The DadPad app gives every dad in Croydon an NHS-backed resource they can trust, whether they need guidance on safer sleep at 3am or want to understand what their partner might be going through. The video series adds something different: real voices, real experiences, from local dads who have been where they are now.
Every family’s journey is different. But by making support clearer, more accessible, and more inclusive of fathers, we hope more dads across Croydon will feel genuinely confident and supported as they step into this role, alongside their partners and families.”
The app’s safer sleep guidance coincides with World Sleep Day, offering dads tips on creating a safe sleep environment for their babies at any hour. DadPad also connects fathers to local Croydon support groups, services, and a network where they can ask questions and share experiences with other dads and health professionals.
A five-part video podcast series has launched on YouTube, featuring local fathers discussing the challenges and rewards of parenthood. The app and series were introduced following the Fathers and Male Carers Conference on February 26 at Braithwaite Hall, hosted by Croydon Family Hubs, which brought together fathers, professionals, and community groups to exchange experiences and hear from fatherhood support speakers.
DadPad is available free to Croydon parents on the Apple App Store and Google Play.