Dads must do more for their kids, says (female) minister

FATHERS must take greater responsibility for the care of their children so more mothers can return to work, says a business minister.

Margot James told men to get more involved to help them bond with their children. She said the move would reduce the gender pay gap by ensuring that it is not always women who see their wages stagnate because they take more time away from work.

The Small Business Minister told the Commons women and equalities select committee the UK Government wants to increase the proportion of childcare carried out by fathers and eradicate the idea that it should always be the mother who is the primary care-giver for children.

‘These social attitudes are very deeprooted and are not going to be resolved quickly or by single policy intervention,’ she said. ‘We are not forever wedded to the notion that the mother is the primary care-giver. It’s a journey.’

She told MPs the ‘signal’ must be sent that fathers should take a more equal share in caring. ‘It’s very important for family life that fathers get the chance to bond with their children,’ she said.

‘And it’s very good for mothers in terms of their work-life balance if they can get a greater share of childcare responsibility carried out by their partner or husband. That will enable them to have greater freedom either to return to paid employment or to do other things.’

In a written submission to the committee, Miss James said it was ‘crucial’ men take more responsibility.

She suggested she would like to see shared parental leave lasting more than just a year, with fathers receiving more pay while on leave.

‘We know that men are engaged in higher-income occupations than women and therefore there will be more pressure on men in the family to continue earning, which reinforces the obligations of mothers to take greater amounts of parental leave,’ said Miss James. ‘There is quite a substantial cost implication but it is something we are looking at.’

But Norman Wells, from the Family Education Trust charity, accused the Government of pursuing a ‘dangerous social experiment’.

He added: ‘There is already evidence that childcare policies aimed at encouraging mothers to return to work are causing considerable stress to parents and children alike.’