Community Guidelines

Dad & Baby's forum is a safe space for dads. Whether you're expecting, a new dad, or an experienced one, this is your community. These guidelines help keep it that way.

Be Supportive

This is a place to share experiences, listen to each other, and offer encouragement. Fatherhood can be brilliant and overwhelming in equal measure. Be the kind of person you would want to talk to on a tough day.

Protect Privacy

Protecting children's privacy is paramount. When posting in the forum:

• Do not share the real names of your children.
• Do not post identifying details such as school names, addresses, or specific locations.
• Do not share photographs of children (the App does not support photo uploads for this reason).
• Be mindful of your partner's privacy too — avoid sharing details they would not want made public.

No Medical Advice

You are welcome to share what worked for you and your family, but please do not diagnose, prescribe, or give specific medical instructions to other users.

Phrases like "this is what helped us" or "our midwife suggested..." are fine. Phrases like "you should take..." or "your baby definitely has..." are not.

If someone asks a medical question, encourage them to speak to their midwife, GP, or call NHS 111.

Be Respectful

We have zero tolerance for harassment, discrimination, hate speech, or personal attacks. This includes:

• Abuse or hostility based on race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, disability, or any other protected characteristic.
• Threats, intimidation, or bullying of any kind.
• Deliberately inflammatory or provocative posts (trolling).

You can disagree respectfully. Different families do things differently, and that is okay.

Keep It Relevant

The forum is for discussions related to fatherhood, pregnancy, parenting, and family life. Please:

• Stay on topic within discussion threads.
• Do not spam or post repetitive content.
• Do not use the forum for self-promotion, advertising, or commercial purposes.

Report Concerns

If you see something that worries you — whether it breaks these guidelines, makes you uncomfortable, or raises a safeguarding concern — please flag it. We review all reports promptly.

You can report content directly within the App using the report button on any post, or email us at hello@dadandbaby.co.uk.

Mental Health Safety

If another user expresses that they are in crisis, feeling suicidal, or struggling significantly with their mental health, please do not ignore it. Report the post immediately so we can respond appropriately and connect them with professional support.

Helpful responses might include: "It sounds like you're having a really tough time. Please call Samaritans on 116 123 — they're free and available 24/7."

How We Moderate

We use a two-layer moderation approach:

• AI screening: All posts are automatically screened by AI (OpenAI) for harmful content, harassment, medical misinformation, and safeguarding concerns.
• Human review: Flagged content (by AI or user reports) is reviewed by our team. We make the final decision on all moderation actions.

Consequences

We take a fair but firm approach to guideline violations:

• First offence: A warning and removal of the offending content.
• Second offence: Temporary suspension from the forum.
• Third offence: Permanent ban from the forum.

Severe violations (threats, safeguarding concerns, illegal content) may result in an immediate permanent ban without prior warnings. We may also report illegal activity to the relevant authorities.

Anonymous But Accountable

Other users see your anonymous alias in the forum. However, we can see your account and can identify you for moderation purposes. Anonymity is designed to help you speak openly, not to shield harmful behaviour.

Questions?

If you have any questions about these guidelines or about a moderation decision, contact us at hello@dadandbaby.co.uk.