A government report on Shared Parental Leave reveals a low take-up by eligible parents

Paternity leave can level the playing field for working mothers. Many fathers emerged from the experience feeling like “being at home, with a strong presence of mind, allowed me to reduce stress on my wife and for her to return to the workforce earlier.” As one father put it, “It’s not just about getting to know your kids at a crucial age but also ... See more

Good mental health in mothers can also mean they’re in a better position to return to work and earn. In the UK, dads taking paternity leave is strongly associated with mothers’ well-being three months after the birth and in France, research suggests that paternity leave can mean more infant care from fathers and consequently mums less likely to suf... See more

Less than 2 per cent of new fathers have benefitted from shared parental leave since the scheme was introduced 10 years ago, research by The Dad Shift has found.

“The strict eligibility criteria do not help either. Both parents must be continuously employed by their employer for 41 weeks before their child’s birth. There is also an income threshold. Combined, these two factors shut a lot of families out.”

“Even if you are eligible and meet all the criteria, SPL can be hard to organise and arrange. It require... See more