Considering young fatherhood: women and equalities committee inquiry on equality at work, paternity and shared parental leave

When considering shared parental leave and ways to incentivise equal sharing of childcare between parents, it is vital to include the views of those from diverse circumstances, including people who are frequently marginalised in society, such as young fathers. Men who enter parenthood at a young age (aged 25 or under) often come from more vulnerable or disadvantaged backgrounds, are more likely to face economic, social and health challenges, and may lack informal or professional support in comparison to young mothers, and also to fathers who are older. As such, young fathers’ needs as working parents can differ remarkedly in comparison to others. Furthermore, young fathers are invisible to national statistics, since data is not routinely collected on them. As a result, they are largely ignored by policymakers and receive little practical support compared to young mothers. This can further exacerbate inequalities. Understanding the views of young fathers can therefore offer a unique and different perspective on paternity/parent leave schemes which needs to be inclusive and equitable towards the youngest men.