Push for Paternity Leave
- Mike Douglas
- 33 minutes ago
- 4 min read
This weekend a campaign I've been following for a little while gained a lot of mainstream attention, as the Push for Paternity Leave Walk(s) happened in London, Leeds, Manchester and Nottingham, timed to happen within Equal Parenting Week.
The campaign focused on improving the current, (in my opinion) near non existent Paternity Leave support, here in the UK. Which is two weeks leave, with pay of £194.32 per week or 90% of average weekly earnings (whichever is lower).
It's not just bad alone, though that's enough. It's bad in comparison, looking across Europe the UK is far behind on supporting Paternity Leave.
Spain: 16 weeks at 100% salary.
Norway: 15 weeks of reserved parental leave for fathers at 90%+ pay.
Sweden: 90 days reserved exclusively for each parent within a shared 480-day allowance (typically 80% pay).
Finland: Approximately 160 days of daily allowance for fathers (similar to mothers).
France: 25 days (plus 3 days of paid leave) at 100% pay.
Estonia: 30 days at 100% pay.
The leave is not enough. Two weeks after having a baby the birth partner will still need support, potentially there's related health issues or conserns that need supporting. Read some of the articles that have come out this week, and you'll see: 1. It's not uncommon for that to happen, and 2. How damaging, dangerous and traumatic this system makes that situation.
As the non birth partner, not only has your whole world changed, you have a partner in need and a newborn to care for. How are any of those things meant to be possible? All while your pay drops to £194 per week! That really helps when you're buying the extra things a baby needs.
Only with the most ideal birthing conditions can this be considered anything other than an attempt to create a harmful and traumatic experience for both parents. And what if we'd like the non birthing partner to bond with baby? Well you've got two weeks. Although not actually; because many babies need additional time in hospital after birth. So two weeks is the maximum not the actual.
As you may have guessed I think the current system is appalling.
Our birth experience with Henry was a traumatic one for both of us, and Laura did require additional support after birth. As first time parents our world had changed completely, and as a neurodiverse household that came with (unknown at the time) knock on effects and needs. Fortunately, I was able to add two weeks annual leave to the my two weeks Paternity Leave. I can honestly say, that still felt way too soon to be returning to work. The split attention, energy and attempted focus. And in that time, I then wasn't able to support Laura as much as I wanted to, or as she needed.
The marches this weekend were calling for a minimum of six weeks paternity leave paid at 90% of salary for working fathers, and to require employers to publish their parental leave policies.
Those first few days, yes that's the timeframe we are talking about(!), are so important for the family to bond and support each other, to recover, or at least start to and to celebrate this amazing new life and journey as a family.
The longer term is relevant too, as too often dads are battling through, then struggling at a later stage. "Often new fathers are so involved in the care of their newborn and supporting their partners recovery that their own mental health will decline over time, sometimes without notice." - Pandas Foundation.
An interesting read, to follow that up is this research paper - Paternal Leave Entitlement and Workplace Culture: A Key Challenge to Paternal Mental Health. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.
If you haven't seen or followed the campaign or articles this week, please do check the links below.
Paternity Leave is such as important topic, if it doesn't affect you, it will affect someone in your support group/ network.
We spent so much time during pregnancy thinking about and planning the different potential birth experiences, but on reflection very little on the posts birth experience (that first couple of days or weeks). And those are, I think, almost as important. If you or someone you know is currently, or about to, start a birthing plan, I really encourage you/ them to also consider what those first few days or weeks might be like. Are there things you really want to do, or not do. They may-not all be possible, and you will need to be flexible if and when changes are needed; but just thinking about those first few days (I think) will help start that journey of how are we going to parent together.
As with many things, communication is key. Make a plan, be flexible with it, keep talking and sharing; mostly with your partner, but also with your support network/ trusted people. Sign petitions, turn up to marches/ walks, be a loud and proud parent; and genuinely ask for better from government and employers.
Blogger's note: This post does not include sponsored content. None of the services, projects, campaigns or charities mentioned have seen this post before it is published, nor have they instructed me on what to say. The views, experiences, thoughts and insights expressed in this post are my own. The links included are direct web links and are not affiliate links.
Additional links and signposting:
Pandas Foundation - Dad's Mental Health
Tommys - Looking after your mental health after baby is born - for dads and partners
Samaritans - Listening service
Local Minds - Find your local Mind (mental health service)