Baby’s Here: Who Does What? Duncan Fisher’s newly published book about sharing parenting roles – not just swapping - is now available on Amazon. Sales from this book will help to fund the distribution of information to new parents through maternity services. A big and respected voice in the debates about mothers and fathers, who earns and who cares, Duncan was a co-founder of the Fatherhood Institute and has been awarded an OBE for services to children.
To all fathers, mothers and social citizens, please help to make a difference and join the debates.
For more about Duncan, visit http://www.duncanfisher.com.
Showing posts with label other research. Show all posts
Showing posts with label other research. Show all posts
Thursday, 22 April 2010
Thursday, 1 April 2010
Flexible working for fathers
Barack Obama spoke out yesterday about the need for flexible workplace options for both men and women (click here). In the UK, flexible work practices are widely lauded although its policy implementation is widely voluntaristic and individualised.
Mine and other research suggests that flexibility can enhance work-life balance for families (Dermott 2008: 6; Hill et al., 2001 cited in Vandeweyer and Glorieux 2008: 272; Lamb et al 1987: 115). However, much research also suggests that flexible working is not always a positive solution for workers (Moss 1995: xiv; Brandth and Kvande 2002; Christensen and Staines 1990 cited in Vandeweyer and Glorieux 2008: 272; Pollert 1988 cited in Crompton 2006: 5; Lamb et al 1987; O’Brien and Shemilt 2003).
While flexible options, particularly part-time working, are more frequently taken up by women, many fathers use some form of flexible working to help their family's work life balance. This is often through the use of either informal or formal flexi-time arrangements, or through home working.
What are your experiences? Do you work from home? Does your employer offer flexi-time solutions that suit your child care needs?
Mine and other research suggests that flexibility can enhance work-life balance for families (Dermott 2008: 6; Hill et al., 2001 cited in Vandeweyer and Glorieux 2008: 272; Lamb et al 1987: 115). However, much research also suggests that flexible working is not always a positive solution for workers (Moss 1995: xiv; Brandth and Kvande 2002; Christensen and Staines 1990 cited in Vandeweyer and Glorieux 2008: 272; Pollert 1988 cited in Crompton 2006: 5; Lamb et al 1987; O’Brien and Shemilt 2003).
While flexible options, particularly part-time working, are more frequently taken up by women, many fathers use some form of flexible working to help their family's work life balance. This is often through the use of either informal or formal flexi-time arrangements, or through home working.
What are your experiences? Do you work from home? Does your employer offer flexi-time solutions that suit your child care needs?
Wednesday, 31 March 2010
Paternity leave rights confusion for fathers
Working Families, a leading UK work-life balance organisation, identified fathers as one of five problem areas for policy in a report published this month. It identifies the long notice period and service requirements as excluding a number of potential fathers from receiving paternity leave entitlements. The report is based on data from the Working Families helpline calls received during 2009.
These findings are consistent with findings from my research in which a number of fathers expressed confusion over when they were expected to notify their human resources department about their intention to take paternity leave. Babies do not tend to clock-watch their arrival and many fathers were adamant that they did not know when the baby would be born. One father went on paternity leave before his overdue-baby was born.
Another father was horrified when he was told that he did not qualify for paternity leave because he had only been with the company for two months. The way he saw it was that paternity leave was "for the birth and to help out with the family. It’s not that you’re trying to skive or bunk off work.”
I join with Working Families, and argue that all fathers should be entitled to levels of statutory paternity support regardless of their employment status.
Click here for the Working Families report.
Details of workplace rights for fathers can be found here.
These findings are consistent with findings from my research in which a number of fathers expressed confusion over when they were expected to notify their human resources department about their intention to take paternity leave. Babies do not tend to clock-watch their arrival and many fathers were adamant that they did not know when the baby would be born. One father went on paternity leave before his overdue-baby was born.
Another father was horrified when he was told that he did not qualify for paternity leave because he had only been with the company for two months. The way he saw it was that paternity leave was "for the birth and to help out with the family. It’s not that you’re trying to skive or bunk off work.”
I join with Working Families, and argue that all fathers should be entitled to levels of statutory paternity support regardless of their employment status.
Click here for the Working Families report.
Details of workplace rights for fathers can be found here.
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