Paid to parent?

Working fathers should be given more rights. It’s not enough to give two weeks paternity leave around the birth of a baby with £100 for each week. Only when a father gets financial support to be involved in long term care of children will men understand the challenges that face women at home. Only then will they profit from the untold benefits of being with their children from a young age. The knock-on effect may be to take their newfound sensitivity to the workplace and put in place more sympathetic policies for other parents juggling work and family.

We should also hold women’s jobs open for longer than the measly 18 weeks currently on offer with maternity leave. I know it's going to be extended to 26 weeks in 2003 but even so, how can a first-time mother know what’s best for her child after such a short time? This period should be extended to a year or split between mother and father. Other EU countries have been doing this for years, so why do we lag so far behind?

The experience of childhood has changed dramatically over the last two decades. It is a fast, exciting and, at times, frightening affair. What we must address in our society is where our priorities lie. Family and community must be a safe, rewarding place to nurture our young. It should work for our children, not just meet the convenience of adults. This requires us to make tough decisions. But we must take the whole of our community with us, not alienate parts of it with cuddly headlines that call for mums to be paid to stay at home.

Read more about this in 'Time off for dads'