Lads Need Dads CIC

11/06/2026

Founder and Managing Director of Lads Need Dads, Sonia Shaljean, has published a new article exploring an important question at the heart of the current conversation around boys, masculinity and the manosphere.

Drawing on over 11 years of experience supporting father-absent boys, alongside learning from her Churchill Fellowship research across Australia, South Africa and the United States, Sonia asks whether we are focusing too much on the rabbit hole and not enough on understanding the rabbit standing beside it.

For anyone interested in boys’ wellbeing, father absence, positive male role models, early intervention, mental health and the factors that make some young people more vulnerable than others, this thought-provoking article offers a different perspective.

📖 Read the full article below:

👇

https://open.substack.com/pub/soniashaljean1/p/everyone-is-studying-the-rabbit-hole?r=258amw&utm_medium=ios

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High Sheriff of Essex
Essex Police
ECVYS - Essex Council for Voluntary Youth Services
BBC Essex

Why some boys are more vulnerable to the manosphere than others.

08/06/2026

This evening Gareth Southgate’s new BBC documentary “Changing the Game for Young Men”, was screened and it was one of the most thoughtful and sensitively produced explorations of the challenges facing boys and young men we have seen to date.

One moment that particularly resonated was when Gareth reflected on his own father, saying:

“He was always there for security. He was always there to make sense of things that went wrong.”

Those words capture something many boys growing up without a consistent or supportive father figure often miss out on - the steady presence of someone to guide, reassure and help make sense of life’s challenges.

There were moments throughout the documentary that were deeply moving. It explored the realities facing many young men today as they navigate identity, belonging, emotional wellbeing, relationships, education, employment and the transition to adulthood. It also featured young men in prison who, with the right support and intervention earlier in life, may never have travelled down that path.

Lads Need Dads was proud to be featured in the documentary, including the LADPODs pilot programme delivered at Bromfords School in Essex. Sonia had the opportunity to speak with Gareth about an issue she feels passionately about: boys are not a problem to be fixed. They deserve to be seen, heard, understood and supported in their own right.

One of the most heartbreaking themes highlighted was the number of young men who appear to have lost hope — struggling to find work, purpose, direction and a meaningful place in society. Too many leave education without a clear pathway forward, retreating into isolation, spending increasing amounts of time alone while their confidence, aspirations and mental wellbeing gradually decline.

It raises an important question: how many of those young men were once Year 7 boys sitting quietly in classrooms, carrying stories and struggles that nobody fully understood?

That is why early intervention matters.

At Lads Need Dads, we are incredibly proud that the young men who complete our programmes are in education, employment or training and are developing a growing sense of purpose, confidence and possibility for their future.

Our hope is that this documentary sparks a much bigger national conversation about how we support boys and young men before they reach crisis point. 💙

For those who missed it you can view it on BBC iplayer - https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m002xk5y/gareth-southgate-changing-the-game-for-young-men


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High Sheriff of Essex
Essex Community Foundation
Clacton and Frinton Gazette
Colchester Gazette

06/06/2026

🎉 Lads Need Dads is 11 years old today! 🎉

And somehow, 11 feels like a very fitting age.

For many boys, 11 is the age when they leave primary school behind and prepare to start secondary school. It’s an exciting time, but also one filled with uncertainty, change and new challenges.

It’s often the age when boys begin to pull away from mum a little more and start trying to work out who they are, where they belong and what kind of young man they want to become.

For boys growing up without a consistent father figure, that journey can be even more challenging.

Over the last 11 years, we’ve had the privilege of walking alongside hundreds of boys and their families, listening to their stories, supporting them through difficult times and helping them discover strengths they didn’t know they had.

It is also why we created LADPODs.

LADPODs is our early intervention programme for Year 7 boys growing up without a consistent father figure. Delivered in schools by a team of male teachers alongside a female facilitator, it provides a safe space where boys can learn to understand and express their emotions, build confidence, develop resilience and form positive relationships with trusted adults.

We’re incredibly proud that on Monday, LADPODs will feature in Gareth Southgate’s new documentary, helping to shine a light on the importance of supporting boys during these crucial years.

As we celebrate our 11th birthday, we want to say a huge thank you to every boy, mum, mentor, volunteer, school, funder, supporter, trustee and friend who has been part of this journey.

The last 11 years have often felt like sowing seeds and ploughing hard ground. Many conversations that are happening today weren’t happening when we started in 2015.
But now we can begin to see the shoots coming through. Awareness is growing. The evidence is growing. The conversation is changing.

The spades have served us well, but if we’re serious about reaching more boys, we need some diggers. We need bigger partnerships, bigger investment and bigger ambition so that more boys can access the support they deserve.

Our first decade was about laying foundations.
We hope our second decade will be about changing the landscape.

Thank you for helping us reach this milestone.
Here’s to the next chapter. ❤️


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Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner for Essex

01/06/2026

🎢 Half-Term Fun at Clacton Pier 🎢

Thanks to funding from the Jack Petchey Foundation, we were able to treat some of our boys to a fantastic day out at Clacton Pier during half term.

The boys enjoyed the rides, plenty of laughter, and the chance to simply spend time together away from the pressures of everyday life. After working up an appetite, we headed for some food and continued the conversations, banter and memories that make these trips so special.

Whilst days like this are great fun, they are about much more than rides and icecream. They provide opportunities for boys to build friendships, strengthen relationships with positive male role models, develop confidence, and experience a sense of belonging.

A huge thank you to the Jack Petchey Foundation for helping us create experiences that many of our boys may not otherwise have the opportunity to enjoy.

Sometimes the most important memories are made in the simplest moments – sharing a meal, having a laugh, and spending quality time together.

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01/06/2026

A week today, a new BBC documentary featuring Gareth Southgate will air, exploring some of the challenges facing boys and young men today. https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/2026/gareth-southgate-changing-game-for-young-men

It was a real privilege to spend time with Gareth and the production team and share some of the work we have been doing at Lads Need Dads over the last 10 years. Whilst we have no idea how much of our contribution will make the final edit, we are incredibly grateful that this issue was considered important enough to be included.

We were particularly pleased to discuss our new LADPODs pilot, which equips schools to provide early intervention support for boys growing up without a consistent, positive male role model which the production team filmed at one of our pilot schools, Bromfords Secondary School in Wickford, Essex.

As the conversation around boys and young men continues to grow, it is encouraging to see more recognition of the important role fathers play in a child’s emotional, social and educational development. This has always been a major part of our Mission aims.

Trusted adults matter. Mentors matter. Positive male role models matter. But fathers matter too.

For those boys who do not have a father actively involved in their lives, mentors can never replace that relationship. What they can do is stand in the gap, offering support, guidance, encouragement and a sense of belonging.

For the past 10 years, that is what Lads Need Dads has been striving to do.

Our sincere thanks to Sir Gareth Southgate, the production team and the BBC for helping bring this important conversation into the national spotlight.

Because whilst fathers are important, we must never forget the boys growing up without them.
❤️

The former England football manager travels across the UK to understand challenges facing young men and boys

13/05/2026

On Friday evening Lads Need Dads ran a workshop with our Ambassadors group focused on handling difficult conversations, conflict, and how young men carry themselves under pressure.

Some of the young men spoke openly about struggles they are currently facing. Others reflected on challenges they have already come through and the lessons they’ve learned along the way. Increasingly, what we are seeing within this group is young men supporting other young men. Advising each other. Challenging each other. Encouraging each other.

That peer support matters deeply because many of these boys have grown up without consistent male guidance around them. Slowly, you can feel a genuine brotherhood forming.

The session explored:
• how to de-escalate conflict
• how body language and tone can calm or inflame situations
• how to stay emotionally regulated under pressure
• how to challenge a mate respectfully when needed
• and the difference between calling somebody out publicly versus speaking privately with honesty and respect

The conversations were thoughtful, grounded and mature. You can genuinely see growth in emotional intelligence, empathy and self-awareness.

Huge credit to the mentors too. Trusted adults consistently showing up, listening well, and modelling calmness and honesty really matters. Consistent relationships, honest conversations, and safe spaces are helping these boys grow into grounded young men.

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Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner for Essex
Essex Violence and Vulnerability Unit

08/05/2026

This week we were thrilled to be presented with a £500 cheque raised by the wonderful ladies of the Sunshine Coast Tangent Club Clacton-on-Sea.

On Tuesday evening, our Education Lead, Joel Shaljean, attended one of their meetings, enjoyed a lovely meal, and had the opportunity to share more about the work of Lads Need Dads CIC.

The ladies were incredibly engaged and inquisitive, asking thoughtful questions about the realities facing many of the boys and families we support. It was encouraging to see such genuine interest, warmth and support for our mission.

We are hugely grateful for their generosity. Every penny raised will go towards helping us continue meeting the emotional, practical and relational needs of boys growing up without a consistent father figure.

Thank you again to everyone at the Sunshine Coast Tangent Club Clacton-on-Sea for your kindness and support.

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03/05/2026

28/04/2026

This week, one of our team spent time observing a Reading Mentor session at Cherry Tree Primary, Basildon. 💙

What stood out most wasn’t just the reading… it was the relationship.

The session was calm, steady, and thoughtfully paced. It began with a simple check-in, exploring gratitude and giving space for honest reflection - even where feelings were mixed. From there, the session moved naturally into shared reading, discussion, and moments to pause and think.

There was no rush. Just a consistent, relational approach.

The mentor leading the session used interests like football, food, and games to keep engagement high and make the experience feel personal. Questions were open, allowing time to think, reflect, and build understanding.

By the end of the session, there had been a clear shift - from a steady starting point to a strong, confident finish.

This is what makes the Reading Mentor programme so powerful.

A safe space. A trusted adult. A moment in the week where a boy can just be, without pressure.

Over time, those moments build confidence, trust, and a more positive sense of self. And from there… everything else begins to grow.

💙

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25/04/2026

Update from Sonia from down-under!

Well I arrived safe and sound in Sydney. Can’t believe how fast this week has flown by!

The highlight of my week was speaking at the Fatherhood Summit alongside powerful voices including Dr. Zac Seidler, Global Director of Men’s Health research from Movember and CEO Ben Vasiliou of The Man Cave, with support from Maggie Dent a leading parenting educator and author.

A clear theme emerged from our panel discussions - boys are navigating conflicting expectations, often masking a deep need for connection and understanding. Despite the noise around social media, what still matters most is a consistent, trusted adult - someone who sees them and stays. Yet much of the narrative remains focused on what’s wrong with boys, rather than what helps them grow.

I shared that through our work with Lads Need Dads, we see that relationships are the turning point - but we also need to go further upstream. Too many boys are growing up without a consistent father figure, shaping how they see themselves, relationships, and their future. If we’re serious about strengthening fatherhood, we can’t start when a man becomes a dad - we have to start with the boy. Because when we reach him early, we don’t just change his life - we change the next generation. It definitely left the practitioners and researchers in the room with food for thought!

Next stop Canberra where I’ll be spending the next week with MensLink - an established mentoring project for boys and young men, plus some other exciting meetings along the way!

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Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner for Essex