Source · Select Committees · Women and Equalities Committee
Recommendation 11
11
Accepted
Reduce cultural and societal barriers preventing fathers, especially working-class, from taking parental leave.
Recommendation
Alongside reforms of statutory paternity pay and leave entitlements, the Government’s review must consider steps it can take to reduce wider cultural and societal barriers to fathers taking more leave. It should in particularly consider steps to reduce cultural barriers in working class households and workplaces in which working class fathers are more likely to be employed. This could be through, for example, targeted awareness campaigns to ensure all fathers are aware of their paternity and shared parental leave entitlements and work with trade unions and employers of all sizes across all sectors to promote best practice. (Recommendation, Paragraph 70)
Government Response Summary
The government accepts the recommendation, stating it will engage with stakeholders through its parental leave and pay review, conduct focus groups and roundtables, and collaborate with trade unions and businesses. It also plans to require employers to publish action plans promoting parental leave policies, provide clear guidance, and develop case studies to reduce barriers for fathers taking more leave.
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
We recognise the important role a father plays in the early stages of a child’s life, and the fact that many fathers and partners do not currently feel able to take the leave they are legally entitled to. The government continues to engage with employers, businesses and other organisations such as trade unions and Acas when implementing changes to the parental leave system to ensure there is an awareness and understanding of parental leave entitlements. Through the parental leave and pay review, the government will engage with relevant stakeholders, including trade unions and employers, to ensure we have a good understanding of the needs that the parental leave and pay system should meet. Later this year, we are planning to undertake focus groups and roundtables with advocacy groups and with parents to better understand their lived experience. We will also be engaging with trade unions and business representative organisations. A key consideration of the review is to look at how the parental leave and pay system can support shifts in social and gender norms in childcare and parenting. This includes supporting parents to make balanced childcare choices that work for their family situation, including enabling co-parenting, and provide flexibility to reflect the realities of modern work and childcare needs. We will continue to engage with relevant organisations as changes to the parental leave and pay system are made. Work is also being undertaken through the Employment Rights Bill to take initial steps towards requiring employers to publish action plans outlining how they are narrowing their gender pay gap. Examples of this may include promoting parental leave policies and sharing information about local support for parental leave and flexible working arrangements to help current and future employees. We will provide employers with clear guidance and evidence-based actions to assist in identifying and implementing meaningful changes within their organisations. This presents a real opportunity to encourage organisations to be more transparent about their parental leave and pay policies, workplace flexibility, and broader pay and progression practices. Additionally, we will collaborate with employers to develop case studies which will be shared alongside the guidance to promote good practice. Action plans will serve as an opportunity to encourage employers to take proactive steps in reducing barriers to fathers taking more leave.