Fathers who take solo parental leave remain more involved parents years later
91直播 finds early childcare responsibility helps fathers become more confident carers, boosts mothers' careers and leads to more equal divisions of parenting and housework
Fathers who take sole responsibility for caring for their baby during parental leave are more likely to remain actively involved in childcare years later, according to major new research from The University of Manchester and 91直播 Metropolitan University.
The five-year study found that periods of solo caregiving helped fathers develop confidence, practical parenting skills and a deeper understanding of the demands of childcare, leading to more equal sharing of work and family responsibilities long after the leave period ended.
Researchers followed ten dual-career couples across the UK in which fathers took a period of solo parental leave during their child's first year. The study tracked how families organised work and childcare over the following five years.
The findings suggest that early solo caregiving can have lasting effects on family life, helping mothers pursue career opportunities while encouraging fathers to take a more active role in parenting and household responsibilities.
The research comes as debate continues about parental leave policy in the UK, where take-up of Shared Parental Leave remains low.
Lasting impact on family life
The researchers found that fathers who spent extended periods caring for their child alone developed practical parenting competence, emotional confidence and a stronger understanding of the often unseen work involved in childcare.
Rather than reverting to traditional gender roles when they returned to work, fathers made adaptations to their work patterns and continued to share responsibilities such as childcare planning, school runs, household management and day-to-day caregiving.
The study found these experiences often helped couples maintain more equal relationships and created greater flexibility in how families balanced careers and childcare.
Key findings
Fathers who undertook solo caregiving became more confident and capable parents.
Early childcare experiences helped fathers better understand the emotional, practical and mental load of caring for children.
Mothers were often able to return to work earlier or pursue career progression because they had confidence in their partner's caregiving abilities.
Couples were more likely to view childcare as a shared responsibility rather than primarily the mother's role.
Many fathers continued to organise work around family responsibilities years after their leave ended.
Some fathers became more open about caregiving responsibilities at work and more willing to prioritise family life over career progression.
Rethinking careers and parenting
"Our research shows that fathers' solo caregiving can have long-lasting effects on how couples organise work and family life years later,鈥� said Professor Emma Banister from the Work and Equalities Institute at Alliance 91直播 Business School. "The fathers we spoke to developed confidence and skills through caring for their child alone, and those experiences continued to shape their decisions about work and parenting long after their leave had ended."
The fathers in our study were active participants in all aspects of childcare, including the planning, organisation and emotional labour that can otherwise fall disproportionately on mothers. This created greater flexibility for families and, in many cases, helped mothers pursue career opportunities that might otherwise have been more difficult.
Challenge to traditional gender roles regarding paid and unpaid work
The study also found evidence that fathers who had taken sole responsibility for childcare were more likely to challenge traditional expectations about parenting and work.
Several participants reported openly discussing childcare commitments with colleagues and managers, rejecting the idea that caregiving should be hidden or secondary to paid work.
The researchers argue that organisations and policymakers should do more to support fathers who want to take an active role in childcare.
Implications for parental leave policy
The researchers say the findings strengthen the case for expanding dedicated leave for fathers.
While Shared Parental Leave was introduced in the UK in 2015 to encourage more equal parenting, uptake remains relatively low because of affordability, eligibility restrictions and the way the system is structured.
The study suggests that creating more opportunities for fathers to undertake solo caregiving could help promote greater gender equality both at home and in the workplace.
"The benefits we observed weren't simply about fathers spending more time with their children - it was the experience of taking responsibility for childcare independently that appeared to make the difference,鈥� said Professor Ben Kerrane of Manchester Metropolitan University. 鈥淭hat experience helped reshape how couples thought about parenting, careers and family responsibilities, with effects that were still visible five years later.鈥�
Publication details
The study was published in journal Human Relations.
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