With little or no similar services for fathers in the Hunter, the Newcastle Dads in Distress group receives a steady flow of new fathers every week.

One dad, who preferred to remain anonymous while his custody case is before the family court, said the organisation brought distressed fathers back from the brink of self destruction.

He pointed to a “men don’t cry” culture and said that when a man’s family and home life was taken away, there was often no where else to turn.

“While I have a lot of friends who are sympathetic, they can’t relate,” he said.

“They (Dads in Distress members) give you their experience and let you know you’re not on your own.

“They say we’re with you mate and send texts and call to ask how you are going.

“If that wasn’t there how many blokes are going to act in a way that will have negative consequences, like hid-ing in the corner of a pub?”

Despite such strong feelings about the organisation from it members, there is a feeling within some govern-ment authorities that Dads in Distress has a negative influence on men already suffering.

With the Federal Government currently working on a national men’s health policy, there is a push from within government departments to pull support from the support group and replace it with other services.

Until recently, Dads in Distress looked certain to collapse amid plans by the Federal Government to pull its funding in the 2009/10 budget.

It was granted an eleventh-hour reprieve only after at concerted campaign by members.

Enough funding for the next 12 months was scraped together and the organisation has been granted $315,000, about half the funding for previous years, to fund three Dads in Distress networks based in Western Sydney, Coffs Harbour and Frankston in Victoria.

Although the Newcastle chapter will survive the next 12 months due to its high numbers and support from the Coffs Harbour office, it is still unknown if government support will continue in the future.