Equality Survey shows that a lot of new dads are reluctant to take paternity leave

Did your partner take paternity leave?

A father's right to take paternity leave in Ireland has been around for awhile but a lot of the new dads that I've spoken to have not taken it. Some worry that they won't be able take care of their child as well as the baby's mother, for many it all comes down to their jobs. Several fathers that I know said that they could not afford to take the pay cut during their paternity leave while others were afraid that they would risk losing promotions if they took the time off. This fear of taking paternity leave is not only felt by the few. In fact a recent survey showed that 68 per cent of new dads are reluctant to avail of their entitlement. The majority (62 per cent), indicated that taking statutory leave could reflect on their commitment to their employer or their work. These are fears that many women have dealt with for decades. Findings according to Joanne Foley of Matrix Recruitment found that 76 per cent of men and 90 per cent of women say that becoming a mum impacts a woman’s career progression opportunities. This issue arose in my own family when my first child was born. My partner didn't want to take any time off. He worked for a small business and was afraid of how it would look to his boss. I on the other hand was dealing with post natal depression after a traumatic birthing experience and needed his help more than ever. When we think about work/life balance we often think about mothers struggling to juggle it all, but modern dads are feeling it more and more too. With fathers becoming more hands on in the home more men are experiencing the pressure of trying to 'have it all'.   The equality survey also found that more than half (53 per cent) of those surveyed said that fathers taking paternity leave would be the ‘exception rather than the norm’ and one third (33 per cent), said that men didn’t see the need for paternity leave at all.

"These findings point to the belief that the mother’s role is still that of primary carer and we could still be a generation away from men feeling comfortable and secure enough to take their full parental leave entitlement. There are obviously financial implications too, but I do think that we are seeing a cultural change, albeit a slow one, with a number of employers actively taking steps to promote and support leave entitlements." - Joanne Foley.

Will this attitude to taking paternity leave change anytime soon? One can only hope as while men still feel the stigma of taking time off to be with their children, their children are missing out on essential bonding time with them.