Bereaved Fathers Day.
A day for every Dad whose little one has passed on. It asks one thing of the rest of us: check in on a Dad.
Check in on a Dad. Say their name.
Most Dads whose little one has passed on say the same thing: people stop asking. They ask how his partner’s going, but not how he is. So on the last Sunday in August, check in.
- Send a text: “Thinking of you and [name] today.”
- Take him for a coffee, a drive or a kick of the footy.
- Ask how he’s actually going, and wait for the answer.
Ways to mark the day
Find a slice of joy
A walk, some sun, a good coffee, five minutes to yourself, a song you love, in memory of a little one who’s gone.
Light a candle at seven
Wherever you are, at 7pm, for the Dads who carry them. Share a photo if you’d like.
Put a little good back
Help a stranger. Tell a mate you appreciate them. Send the message you’ve been putting off.
Mark it at work
A note to the team, a shouted coffee, a bit of flexibility. Ideas for workplaces.
Mark it at the club
A minute’s applause before the game, a notice in the newsletter, a check-in with the Dads in the change rooms.
Share it
Post with #BereavedFathersDay, and their name if it’s yours to share.
Why the last Sunday in August
International Bereaved Father’s Day is widely reported to have been created in 2010 by Carly Marie Dudley, alongside International Bereaved Mother’s Day. It falls on the last Sunday in August: in Australia, the Sunday before Father’s Day, a week out from one of the hardest days of the year.
Other groups mark days at other times of year, and that’s fine. Every Dad is welcome to mark it whenever he needs to.
The dates
| Bereaved Fathers Day | Father’s Day in Australia |
|---|---|
Who are you here for?
My little one has passed on
Support written just for you: the early days, the dates that hit hard, and other Dads who get it.
Someone I love has lost a little one
What helps, what to say, and how to keep turning up long after the funeral.
We’re a workplace or organisation
Support a Dad coming back to work, mark the day together, and get involved.
- Red NoseSupport when a baby or child has passed on, at any age. Open 24/7.1300 308 307
- LifelineCrisis support by phone, text or chat. Open 24/7.13 11 14
- MensLine AustraliaCounselling for men, including grief. Open 24/7.1300 78 99 78