A young Sunderland couple is receiving support from local authorities after the mother developed postnatal depression and a related addiction.
They believe the situation was made worse by the lack of sufficient paternity support.
Emma and James, both in their early 30s, say that the early stages of parenthood quickly became overwhelming due to isolation, financial strain, and limited statutory leave.
Emma’s condition, left untreated, eventually escalated into a mental health crisis that now threatens to separate their family.
Emma Matunda, a mother of three, said: “This began after the birth of our first child. James had to return to work almost immediately. I was always alone and was left to manage on my own. Initially, it was just loneliness, but then it became too much, such that I needed something to help me cope.”
“That emotional burden led to postnatal depression,” Emma stated, “and the silence and lack of strong support only worsened it.” She revealed, “I used this alcohol as a coping mechanism, but I chose the wrong one. Now I’m almost losing my children, and I won’t let that happen. I will fight this. I will fight to get my life back.”
Though James’ family offered support occasionally, and he phoned to check in when he could, Emma says it wasn’t enough. “After everything, I went back to being alone.”
“You can’t put a price on that time,” she said. “That’s when the connection begins, not just with the baby, but between us as parents. That’s what we both missed.
“In hindsight, I should have said something to James at least,” she said. “I did not talk about my feelings during that time nor ask for help. I didn’t know how to. But I wish I had. I really do.”
Ms. Matunda is now receiving treatment for both her addiction and mental health. But the toll of that lost time has deeply affected James, who works full-time to support the household.
“I didn’t have the luxury of staying home”, he said. “I had to work. I’m the breadwinner, and we couldn’t afford to lose that income. But I do think men definitely need more time with the family for the bonding experience.
Looking back, I feel like I should have been there more for her, for the babies, for us. I tried my best when I was away, but it’s a choice I had to make for us.”
There are other families like us,” James said. “Families just starting out, who need more than good wishes. They need policies that back them up. They need time.”
Meanwhile, their children are currently under temporary care arrangements as part of a safeguarding plan, a decision both parents describe as painful.
In a series of street interviews conducted in Sunderland, several local residents shared their thoughts on how paternity leave should evolve to meet the realities of modern family life. Most of those interviewed gave only their first names.
“It would be ideal to have at least a month,” said David, a father of one. “We need to be there for our partners. Two weeks is barely enough time to adjust. We need to be able to support our women for a reasonable amount of paid time off.”
A Sunderland resident identified as Matt emphasised the need for flexibility in family dynamics. “It depends on each family,” he said. “Whoever earns more might need to work more, but both parents should get the chance to bond with their child. That time is crucial.”
Marshal was more direct in his call for reform. “A quarter of the year sounds fair to me. Three months. With decent pay. That’s what families really need to thrive.”
But not everyone agreed entirely. Micheal, now retired, reflected on how expectations have changed. “Back in my day, we got very little paternity leave. I worked full-time and my wife looked after the kids, so we only had one salary coming in,” he said.
“I understand things are different now. Still, from a business point of view, you can’t have both parents gone at the same time without consequences.”
The landscape of parental leave in the UK is presently undergoing significant transformation, marked by recent legislative changes and a comprehensive government review. For fathers and partners, flexibility in Statutory Paternity Leave (SPL) has notably increased since April 2024.
Eligible individuals can now split their two weeks of leave into two one-week blocks, taking them at any point within the first year of their child’s arrival, with a reduced 28-day notice period for specific dates.
Looking ahead, the statutory paternity pay rate is set for a slight increase, and crucially, a new “day-one right” for Neonatal Care Leave (NCL) will be introduced, offering up to 12 additional weeks of paid leave for parents whose newborns require extended neonatal care.
In contrast, mothers in the UK currently benefit from a more extensive provision, with entitlement to up to 52 weeks (12 months) of Statutory Maternity Leave.
This comprehensive leave period is broken down into 26 weeks of Ordinary Maternity Leave followed by 26 weeks of Additional Maternity Leave. While the full 12 months can be taken, Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP) is typically provided for up to 39 weeks.
This usually begins with the first six weeks paid at 90% of average weekly earnings, followed by a flat rate (or 90% of average weekly earnings, whichever is lower) for the remaining 33 weeks, with the final 13 weeks of the 52-week period generally being unpaid unless an employer offers enhanced benefits.
Despite the recent enhancements to paternity leave, a clear disparity remains when compared to the existing maternity provisions, with the UK’s paternity leave still being significantly shorter and less financially generous than many other developed nations.
This ongoing imbalance is a key focus of the government’s comprehensive review of the entire parental leave system, launched in July 2025. The review aims to address complexities and perceived inadequacies, with a view to creating a fairer and more supportive system for all parents, as well as promoting greater gender equality in childcare responsibilities.
Sue Ellwood
It’s sad that only one side of this story has been presented and missed out a lot of true facts. This couple have had Imense help and support from james family especially his mother and father, not only did they have the children every weekend at the drop of a hat, and through out the week, but they have had financial support to the absaloute maximum from the same people. You are portraying they got no support when I have personally known his family for more than 15 years and I can tell you this couple have more support than you could ever imagine. So please do not portray there was hardly no support this is not a total true reflection. And his parents require the acknowledgement for supporting the both of them for years.