'Distant father' myth dismissed

Survey shows fathers are concerned for their children

More than 60% of fathers say they feel worried or anxious about their children, according to a Lincolnshire-based charity.

Parentline Plus, a national charity based in Stamford, says a new report based on nearly 5,000 calls found 63% of fathers were suffering from stress.

Over half called the 24-hour line about teenagers while many were from fathers living separately from their children.

The charity says the findings dispute the myth that fathers are distant.

Hands-on role

John Gladwell from Parentline Plus said: "Fathers do feel as though they have a lot o give their children and they want to be involved with their children.

"Sometimes men don't do things in the way that a woman might but they just need to be given time and space.

"We get a lot of calls from fathers, 63% of calls are concerned about the emotional state of their children.

"We also get a lot of calls from absent fathers who are having problems with couple disagreements and they have nowhere to talk about their anxieties."