Supporting father’s emotional care following perinatal loss: utilising creative approaches for knowledge translation with health professionals

bIntroduction/bbr/br While emotional distress following perinatal death is common for many parents, little is known about father’s grief, as most research, and subsequent bereavement care guidelines have focused on women. Further, we lack crucial research about how and in what way father’s support needs could be realised by health professionals and supportive organisations. br/br bAims /bbr/br To address this gap our aims and objectives were to first to identify what support was provided to fathers by health professionals and third sector organisations following loss. raising awareness and change on this otherwise relatively unknown experience of loss. Second, to explore ways in which the creative theatre performance can proffer insight to the lived experience of loss. Third, to explore how in what way the performing arts by way of a forum theatre stimulates debate and leads to transformative support and care. br/br bMethodology/bbr/br Convenience and purposive sampling were used to recruit participants to two focus groups workshops with fathers who have experienced perinatal loss. The data from focus groups were thematically analysed and the narratives informed a subsequent forum theatre with health professionals and volunteers.br/br bResults/bbr/br Findings from the focus group data revealed that fathers often felt a need to play down their own support needs and to be stoic to focus on their partner and were unable to express their loss. Four themes emerged from the forum theatre: 1., the forum theatre elicited insight into father’s grief and support needs 2., helped to facilitate communication skills with parents. 3, the live interaction of the workshop encouraged deeper reflection. 4, the forum theatre enhanced confidence in providing support rather than engage in avoidant communication styles.br/br bConclusion /bbr/br Creative approaches in knowledge exchange offer a viable and sensitive way to explore parental loss. For professionals it offers a space for reflection, the sharing of ideas and solutions to effect good supportive care. The direct benefit for fathers as has meant that they have had an opportunity to share their lived experience with others and to help bring about improvements in perinatal bereavement support via the representation of those lived experiences through a live forum theatre.