This Father’s Day we call on the UK Government to rethink its family policies, which betray families by failing to support fathers’ caring - damaging mothers’ careers, family stability, child outcomes and fathers’ involvement in their children’s lives.
Current policies include the most gender-unequal parenting leave system in the developed world and failure to invite fathers to even one antenatal care appointment, despite the fact 95% of couples are in a close relationship at the time of the birth.
The Government’s rejection today of the Women and Equalities Committee parenting leave recommendations also flies in the face of evidence about both parents’ heartfelt wishes, fathers’ impact on children and how fathers can be enabled to take parenting leave. Read the full story »
Blog, FI research »
Jeremy Davies writes (this blog first appeared on Huffington Post UK):
OK, we get it. Maternity services: the clue’s in the name.
Blog, Policy »
This blog was published by CLOSER (Cohort & Longitudinal Studies Enhancement Resources), which is located at the UCL Institute of Education and brings together eight leading studies, the British Library and the UK Data Service.
Campaigns »
The Fatherhood Institute (UK charity number 1075104) is a small charity that has been working behind the scenes to raise the profile of ‘involved fatherhood’ since 1999.
Blog, Policy »
Jeremy Davies writes:
Parenting leave experts always knew that Shared Parental Leave (SPL) would disappoint. The international evidence is clear: if governments are serious about encouraging large numbers of fathers to take substantial periods of leave during the baby’s first year (as they should be if they are serious about tackling the gender pay gap and improving children’s outcomes), they need to do two things.
Blog, News »
Jeremy Davies writes:
When we launched our Fairness In Families Index yesterday, our press release highlighted that ‘UK mums and dads are the worst in the world at sharing childcare’.
Blog »
Jeremy Davies writes:
Today we publish the 2016 edition of our Fairness in Families Index #fairnessinfamilies, which uses a basket of measures to compare developed countries’ progress towards gender equality.
Practice »
Bringing Fathers In is a series of smart, punchy, evidence-based information sheets backed up with a series of online research summaries.
External (non-FI) research »
Are you (or is somebody you know) a first-time father? Researchers at Royal Holloway, University of London, are interested in exploring first-time fathers’ experiences of labour and childbirth.