Teachers from the College of Bathtub plan to set out what they are saying are enhancements to the system of Shared Parental Depart within the UK, forward of what’s claimed to be the world’s first ‘Dad Strike’ on 11 June in London and Edinburgh. The protest, timed simply forward of Father’s Day, is a name to motion for pressing reform of the UK’s paternity go away system. Analysis by foyer group The Dad Shift and Shaun Davies MP claims that simply 3 % of the UK’s £3.3 billion parental go away funding helps fathers.
In help of this nationwide name for change, College of Bathtub economists Dr Joanna Clifton-Sprigg and Dr Alistair Hunt will publish a brand new coverage paper in June proposing costed reforms to the Shared Parental Depart system. Their suggestions embody six weeks of paternity go away, flexibly taken, paid at 90 % of wages and 6 weeks of paternity go away, flexibly taken, on the statutory charge
Dr Joanna Clifton-Sprigg stated: “The federal government’s Shared Parental Depart coverage was well-intentioned, nevertheless it’s didn’t ship for fathers and households. The reality is: dads wish to be extra concerned, however the system makes it too laborious and too costly. This protest makes clear that inaction is not an choice.”
Earlier analysis by Dr Joanna Clifton-Sprigg and Professor Eleonora Fichera (College of Bathtub), in collaboration with Professor Melanie Jones and Dr Ezgi Kaya (Cardiff Enterprise College), revealed by the College’s Institute for Coverage Analysis (IPR) analysed information from over 1,400 working UK fathers in households with younger youngsters within the UK Family Longitudinal Research and located no measurable affect of SPL on the variety of dads taking go away – or how lengthy they take it for.
The staff discovered that fathers are nonetheless not taking extra day off after a toddler is born. The Dad Shift protest comes simply weeks forward of an anticipated authorities evaluation into parental go away. Although not but formally introduced, sources recommend this long-delayed evaluation could launch in early July.
Dr Clifton-Sprigg’s and Dr Alistair Hunt’s new coverage paper, developed with Working Households and Fatherhood Institute, will probably be offered to authorities in late June and is anticipated to supply sensible, costed options to the present mannequin, exhibiting reform is each reasonably priced and achievable.
