Brendon was recently interviewed for Father’s Day article by Shabnam Dastgheib on Stuff, which reports that most young NZ fathers do not have access to essential services.

Read it here: Support still lacking for young dads

One service solely for dads is the Father and Child Trust, based in a frantic and cramped workspace in the Auckland suburb of Onehunga. Support worker Brendon Smith, constantly rushed off his feet and fielding numerous phone calls, drop-ins and court visits, says teen dads are often unknown, from the “wrong side of town” or have no idea about the pregnancy until the baby arrives.

They need to be educated so they can support the pregnancy and bond early with their offspring. Smith says if that happened, things would almost certainly be better for mums and babies.

But while there is some government funding for teen dads, Smith says more is needed and he is not confident what is there is being used effectively. Pointing to the Auckland region, he says there is no co-ordination in attracting and engaging the thousands of teen dads in the city. “I would put a full-time social worker in place visiting all teen dad and teen mum groups. Teen dads can only be as involved as teen mums let them. This guy will encourage all to engage with teen dads as co-parents, plus to collect the tricky teen dads who may need further support.”

The young fathers have to be keen and in a good emotional place to be of any benefit to their children and partners, he says. “Some of the teen dads who can do a great job of caring for their child may end up as the sole or main parent, so they need full engagement in support and health systems . . .”