NatCen Briefing: Reconciling Parenthood and WorkMari Toomse, Research Director, Mari.Toomse@natcen.ac.uk

Eloise Poole, Senior Researcher, Eloise.Poole@natcen.ac.uk

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Briefing overview

Background

Introduction to the study

Fathers’ results

• Taking time off before birth• Taking time off after birth

Mothers’ results

• Maternity leave• Returning to work

Question and answer session

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Recent policy context

Work and Families Act 2006

Extension of Paternity Leave April 2011

Modern Workplaces Consultation 2011

Focus is shifting towards shared parenting

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Aims of research

Examine the effect of legislative changes on take up of maternity pay and leave and return to work

Identify differences between groups of mothers

Identify choices and constraints for not returning

Examine take up of paternity leave and pay

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Study overview

Maternity and Paternity Rights and Women Returners Survey

Funded by DWP and BIS

Face-to-face survey of mothers

Telephone survey of fathers

Fieldwork conducted in 2009/10

Babies born May to September 2008

Sample from Child Benefit records

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Publication of findings

DWP Research Report 777: Maternity and Paternity Rights and Women Returners

http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd5/rports2011-2012/rrep777.pdf

Research Summary

Data in the UK Data Archive

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Fathers

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Taking time off before birth

Women usually require

• 2 antenatal scans• 7-10 antenatal appointments

Mothers can invite fathers along

Attending antenatal appointments

• Makes father more committed to pregnancy• Encourages active involvement in child’s upbringing

No entitlements at the moment

Fathers encouraged to take time off

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Taking time off after birth

Until April 2011

• 2 weeks off Paternity Leave during the first two months• Paid at a flat rate (£117 p/w in 2008/09)

From April 2011

• If mother goes back to work father can take remaining entitlement

• After 20 weeks

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Taking time off before birth

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Did fathers take time off before birth?

11 Base: All fathers

How much time did fathers take off?

Base: All fathers who took time off12

How did they take time off?

Base: All fathers who took time off before birth13

Taking time off after birth

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Did fathers take time off after birth?

Base: All fathers15

How much time did fathers take off?

Base: All fathers who took some time off16

How did fathers take time off?

Base: All fathers who took some time off after birth17

Who took paternity leave?

Base: All employed fathers who took time off after baby’s birth18

Who took paternity leave?

Base: All employed fathers who took time off after baby’s birth19

Number of weeks of Paternity Leave at full pay

Base: All fathers who took paternity leave20

Who did not receive full pay?

Fathers were less likely to receive full pay if:

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Worked for a small or medium sized private employer

Had lower pay

Had access to fewer family friendly arrangements

Worked as a process, plant or machine operatives or in elementary occupations

Reasons for not taking paternity leave

Base: Fathers who did not take paternity leave22

Summary

Two-thirds of fathers took time off before birth

• More than half took more than 2 days• Vast majority took paid leave

9 out of 10 fathers took time off after birth

Three quarters did it by taking paternity leave

Three quarters took two weeks or more

4 out of 5 received full pay for at least some time

Affordability of paternity leave was an issue for some fathers

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Mothers – Maternity Leave

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Maternity leave – current legislation

Employed mothers are entitled to 52 weeks of statutory maternity leave

• 39 weeks may be paid• 13 weeks are unpaid

Employed mothers who qualify for statutory maternity pay (SMP) receive

• 6 weeks of paid leave at 90% of average earnings• 33 weeks of leave at a ‘flat rate’

Self employed mothers and non-qualifying mothers receive all paid leave at ‘flat rate’

If after 20 weeks of leave a mother returns to work, her partner can:

• Take up to 26 weeks of leave• Take any remaining pay

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Maternity leave – 2007 changes

Work and Families Act 2006:

• Statutory Maternity Leave extended to 52 weeks for all mothers

• Statutory Maternity Pay and Maternity Allowance from 26 to 39 weeks

• Introduction of Keeping in Touch Days

Aim

• Give mothers a chance to spend more time with the baby

• Facilitate return to work

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Maternity Leave and Maternity Pay

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Mothers taking longer maternity leave: key characteristics

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Mothers taking longer maternity leave:key characteristics

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Mothers – Maternity Pay

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Maternity Pay

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Mothers – Return to work

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Return to work

Share of mothers returning to work:

• 2008 – 77%• 2006 – 76%

No significant difference in return to work rate between 2006 and 2008

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Return to work – key characteristics

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Return to work – key characteristics

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Return to work – key characteristics

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Working hours before and after birth

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Mothers – Summary

Following the 2007 policy changes:

• More mothers taking longer periods of leave• Factors which influenced the amount of leave taken are

reducing

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However, there has been no change:

• In the rate of mothers returning to work post-birth, but lone parents and mothers without qualifications are less likely to return

• The propensity of mothers to engage in part-time working following birth

Conclusion

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Work and Families Act 2006 has enabled mothers to take longer leave

Evidence on impact on return to work is not clear

Differences between mothers in length of leave taken have decreased

However, differences in return to work have increased

Conclusion

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Fathers are taking time off before birth

After birth many fathers are taking more than their statutory entitlement after birth

Indicates appetite among fathers to be more involved

Conclusion

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Majority of time fathers take off before birth is paid

Majority of fathers receive some paternity leave at full pay

Affordability main reason for non take-up

Most mothers have returned to work by the time their SMP/MA entitlement has ended

Financial considerations are important for many parents

For discussion

How can this evidence help in developing the system of shared parental leave?

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Questions & Answers

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