Many fathers with caring responsibilities believe that support isn’t meant for them. It can feel unfamiliar and uncomfortable. But across Wales, the Short Breaks Scheme is changing that.
Our delivery partners understand that if you want to reach male carers, you have to create different activities that feel natural and appealing. For example:
It’s not about asking men to fit into services, it’s about shaping services to meet their interests and address their needs.
The biggest challenge is usually the same: men are often reluctant to attend in the first place.
Rewild Play found that male carers were “reluctant to come to events alone,” with only a small core group attending initially. So they adapted.
And it worked.
“Once they had attended and met other dads they were happy to come alone.” Joanne French from Rewild Play says.
Bridgend Carers took a similarly targeted approach, working directly with male-focused groups like Men’s Sheds and Lads & Dads, and even linking with a support worker for single fathers to reach those less visible.
At Campfire Cymru, engagement often happened through family sessions first, because many men don’t come for support, they come for something they can do.
Once men attend, something shifts. At Campfire Cymru’s Forest Fellows sessions, the emphasis is not on sitting and talking- but on being outdoors, sharing tasks and spending time side-by-side
There’s no pressure to open up. And that’s exactly why it works.
Nobody is forced to speak… which actually makes it so much easier to speak openly.
For many, it’s the first time they’ve had space like this.
Through Campfire Cymru, Rob joined Forest Fellows at his wife’s suggestion. At first, he sat alone, found it hard to speak and didn’t take part in activities. He described having no friends and rarely going out.
But over time, things changed. By week three, he began opening up. He started taking part in activities - like cooking pizzas on the fire. He formed friendships and began travelling to sessions with another dad. He even began socialising outside the group.
Becks Fowkes from Campfire Cymru says he was unrecognisable from the first day, he went from isolation to belonging.
Short breaks are giving men something they often don’t prioritise: time for themselves.
One dad attending Forest Fellows described it as:
Something for ‘me’ instead of work and chores.
At Bridgend, a father caring for his wife and children had struggled to attend anything due to responsibilities and financial pressure. By adapting the offer, inviting him to attend with his child, he was able to take part.
“We both enjoy cooking and welcomed the break.”
That small change made the difference between not attending - and engaging.
Rewild Play reports that group activities help carers feel more relaxed, improve mood and reduce isolation through peer connection.
Campfire Cymru found that 92% of male participants felt less isolated after attending Forest Fellows sessions.
And Bridgend Carers highlights that breaks help carers return to their caring role with renewed energy and resilience.
Support for men doesn’t always look like support. It looks like:
No pressure. No expectations. Just space. And in that space, change happens.
Many male carers don’t see themselves as carers. They don’t ask for help. They don’t always know what’s available. And they’re often the hardest to reach.
But through thoughtfully designed activities, targeted outreach and patience, the Short Breaks Scheme is helping more men take that first step.
And sometimes, all it takes is one session, one conversation, one moment of feeling understood, to turn “this isn’t for me” into: “I’m so glad I came.”