In the realm of parental leave, a significant disparity persists between the time allocated for mothers and fathers. While mothers often receive an extended period to nurture and care for their newborn, fathers are typically granted only a fraction of that time. This discrepancy not only reinforces traditional gender roles but also undermines the importance of equal parental involvement in the early stages of a child’s life.
It’s crucial to acknowledge that both parents play equally vital roles in their child’s upbringing. Encouraging fathers to take paternity leave not only fosters bonding between father and child but also dismantles outdated societal norms, promoting a more balanced approach to parenting.
A summary of the evidence about the barriers around fathers and parental leave
- There is an expectation that ‘biological fathers and partners of the birth mother’ will take ‘Dad and Partner Pay’, which is only two weeks compared to 18 weeks given to the ‘primary carer’.
- Fathers and other ‘secondary carers’ often report a stigma and bias around taking extended leave, especially if they don’t see many of their male colleagues taking leave.
- A contributing factor is also the gender pay gap, which means men traditionally earn more in the family and this too affects a father’s decision to take extended leave or to consider changing their work arrangements
- This situation ensures that the bulk of the responsibility of childcare in the first year inevitably falls on the primary carer, creating a chasm in career progression that inevitably grows wider if the primary carer returns to part time work and takes on the majority of domestic and care responsibilities.
How to facilitate change around fathers parental leave
- Education and promotion. Organisation wide education campaigns should aim to raise men’s awareness about parental leave, the provisions on offer, what they are entitled to and how they can be accessed. This education also needs to have strong positive messaging around the acceptability of fathers accessing these leave provisions.
- Role modelling. Fathers in senior positions within the company can reduce stigma and perceived social barriers by acting as role-models to other fathers. When employees at all levels of organisations witness senior managers taking parental leave, they are more likely to be comfortable requesting the leave themselves.
- Provide flexibility. The primary carer often takes the maximum amount of parental leave offered in one go, but this isn’t always the best approach for the support of the couple’s needs. Ensuring your parental leave policy is flexible enough to enable a father to take time off when he needs it will increase the likelihood of him using it.
- Make it financially possible. If the parental leave payment is equal to the father’s salary with no financial loss to the family for the father to take the leave, there is more incentive to take it. Offering fathers a choice in how they receive their pay will also help, this may mean periods at half pay or lump sum payments.
- De-stigmatise paternal mental health. Research from Office for National Statistics, (2020). Leading causes of death, UK: 2001 to 2018 shows that 33% of new fathers are stressed during the perinatal period, however their workplace culture offers little to no help or support.
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