Currently father’s can only take two weeks paternity leave

The early stages of the reform this April will see fathers able to take any unused maternity leave not taken by their partner. 

Nick Clegg announced that a ‘proper’ shared parental leave system would be implemented in 2015, following the Labour government’s proposal for the change last year.

The proposed scheme will allow new parents to pick and choose who takes time off in the first year of their child’s life.

The current system sees father’s only able to take two weeks paternity leave, which Clegg insists, ‘patronises women and marginalises men’.

Nick Clegg, who personally took extended leave after the birth of his child so his wife could go back to work, also plans to encourage more men to take leave by using a ‘use-it-or-lose-it’ leave system tailored especially for fathers.

The Liberal Democrat leader also confirmed that the government plans to extend the right to ask for flexible hours to grandparents and close family friends in hopes of decentralising the idea that childcare should be the sole responsibility of the mother.

By Jade Desumala