It’s happened just the way we expected it to. One year on from the introduction of shared parental leave (SPL), a study by the firm My Family Care has found that uptake among new fathers has been minimal. Of 200 employers interviewed, 40 per cent reported that not one single male employee had taken up the right to shared leave. Many will see this as depressing news, indicating that differences in male and female roles and expectations are far too entrenched to resolve.
I started out an SPL sceptic, not least because the whole process was so complicated I ended up assuming my partner and I wouldn’t even be eligible. It turns out I was wrong and I’m now back in the office while my partner’s at home with our seven-month-old son. Being one of life’s moaners, I’d love to tell you it’s been a nightmare, but I’ll be honest: so far, it’s been brilliant.
Content from our partners
