Saved by Todd Carter
Shared Parental Leave fails to deliver for dads
I would have loved to take more than two weeks off with my kids, but the reality is we just couldn’t afford it. As the main breadwinner, cutting my income down to statutory pay after two weeks would have meant struggling to pay the mortgage. Shared Parental Leave only works if both parents’ employers offer generous pay, which isn’t the case for mos... See more
Dr Ezgi Kaya • Shared Parental Leave fails to deliver for dads
Leo Montague, a Labour councillor and University of Bath graduate from Milton Keynes, and his wife Flo have three children. Reflecting on his experience, Leo said:
I didn’t know any other dads taking SPL so there was no one to talk to about the experience I was having, other than my wife. When people found out I was taking SPL there were some raised eyebrows. Some people thought my wife was super generous to share leave which added to the stigma. It was challenging walking into a baby club and being the only ... See more
Dr Ezgi Kaya • Shared Parental Leave fails to deliver for dads
Ricky Skinner from Bristol took SPL when his son was three months old:
Our evidence is stark. SPL has been completely ineffective in encouraging fathers to take more and longer leave at the birth of their child.
Dr Ezgi Kaya • Shared Parental Leave fails to deliver for dads
Professor Melanie Jones from Cardiff University added:
Although the introduction of SPL is certainly welcome, our study suggests that the devil is in the detail. The design of the policy as it stands does not change care-taking roles within an average household in the U.K.
Dr Ezgi Kaya • Shared Parental Leave fails to deliver for dads
Professor Eleonora Fichera from the University of Bath added
Our work demonstrates that this policy, although conceptually desirable, in practice has not changed decisions of an average household with regards to who is the primary caregiver of the child in their first year of life. This is an important finding, particularly in a society that seeks to reduce gender inequalities at work and in which parents ar... See more
Dr Ezgi Kaya • Shared Parental Leave fails to deliver for dads
Dr Joanna Clifton-Sprigg from the University of Bath commented
Shared parental leave - part of a parenting leave system that’s now the worst in Europe for fathers - has officially failed. Many couples aren’t eligible for SPL in the first place; most of those who are can’t afford to use it; fathers can only take the leave if the mother gives up some of hers; and it’s unwieldy for employers to administer. Intern... See more
Dr Ezgi Kaya • Shared Parental Leave fails to deliver for dads
Dr Jeremy Davies, Deputy CEO of the Fatherhood Institute, a UK charity working to improve support for involved fathers, described the research as a “wake-up call” for the Government
The study findings are timely given the new Labour Government’s Manifesto commitment to reviewing the parental leave system within its first year in office. The previous Government’s own evaluation of SPL published last year, found that only 1% of eligible mothers and 5% of eligible fathers took it.
Dr Ezgi Kaya • Shared Parental Leave fails to deliver for dads
Previous Conservative government’s findings show only 1% of dads taking SPL - disgraceful
The study which used data from 40,000 households across the UK, found SPL has not affected the number of fathers taking leave, nor the length of leave they choose to take. The research compared families with children born before and after the SPL rollout and the results are clear – paternal leave uptake has not increased, and the leaves being taken... See more