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Can Daddies Learn to Care for Babies? The Effect of A Short Paternity Leave on the Division of Childcare and Housework

Author

Listed:
  • Ariane Pailhé

    (Campus Condorcet
    Institut des Politiques Publiques (IPP))

  • Anne Solaz

    (Campus Condorcet)

  • Maxime Tô

    (Institut des Politiques Publiques (IPP)
    Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS))

Abstract

To foster gender equality and involve fathers in parenting, leave-from-work targeted at fathers has been implemented in many countries. In France, until 2021, fathers can avail of a statutory paid paternity leave of 11 working-days that must be taken within 4 months after childbirth. This article estimates the impact of this short-duration and large coverage paternity leave on the gender division of domestic and parental tasks. We measure the effect of paternity leave using the Elfe survey, a national cohort of children born in 2011. We take advantage of the timing of the 2-month survey: some fathers had already taken their leave, while others intended to but had not done so by then. Taking paternity leave leads to a more equal division of several parental tasks. It affects sharing of domestic activities only marginally. The effect on child-rearing tasks is greater for first-time parents and differs by father’s education level. Paternity leave may provide the opportunity to learn how to perform child-related tasks to fathers, and involving them early in parenting.

Suggested Citation

  • Ariane Pailhé & Anne Solaz & Maxime Tô, 2024. "Can Daddies Learn to Care for Babies? The Effect of A Short Paternity Leave on the Division of Childcare and Housework," Population Research and Policy Review, Springer;Southern Demographic Association (SDA), vol. 43(3), pages 1-48, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:poprpr:v:43:y:2024:i:3:d:10.1007_s11113-024-09882-7
    DOI: 10.1007/s11113-024-09882-7
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