A quarter of new fathers are not taking any paternity leave at all, according to a new survey.
And only one in 10 dads took more than two weeks off, their statutory leave entitlement, according to research from the Institute of Leadership & Management (ILM).
The survey found that employers were not giving fathers enough support due to “ingrained” attitudes about parenting, while new dads felt they couldn’t afford to take the time off.
But new regulations that will allow mothers and fathers to share parental leave, which will come into force next year, may offer hope for a more gender-balanced approach to taking time off for new arrivals.
“Our research revealed cultural barriers are impeding the uptake of both two weeks statutory paternity leave and additional paternity leave,” said the CEO of ILM, Charles Elvin.
“The introduction of shared parental leave is a crucial step towards enabling more women to progress into senior roles.”
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