Fathers could be able to take up to three months' paid leave to care fortheir babies under proposals in the Work and Families Bill, which wasunveiled last week. And the Government has signaled that dads would beentitled to six months' pay when paid maternity leave is extended to ayear before the next general election.
But while those working in children's services welcome the Bill'srecognition of the role fathers have to play in their offsprings' lives'some feel the changes will not be enough.
Jack O'Sullivan, co-founder of campaign group Fathers Direct, doubts theBill will cause a massive shift in parenting arrangements. TheGovernment's own figures, he points out, show that less than 20 per centof fathers take up the two weeks of paid leave they're currentlyentitled to.
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