Paid parental leave scheme leaves fathers as 'secondary' carers
Australia's Paid Parental Leave (PPL) scheme portrays fathers as optional or secondary caregivers at home, reinforcing stereotypes that caregiving is a predominantly female responsibility, according to new research.
The study, carried out by researchers from Griffith University, analysed 24 legislative government documents about PPL from when the scheme started in 2010 to the latest update in 2024.
"I found the policy often assumes mothers are the main caregivers and refers to fathers as the 'other parent' or only includes them in exceptional circumstances, portraying Dads as more of a support person than an equal parent," said PhD candidate Lily Lewington, the lead author of the study, in a statement.
"Recent changes to the scheme use more inclusive language, however, it still mostly positions fathers as secondary when it comes to caregiving."
According to the study, even the most recent iteration of the policy uses more frequent gender-neutral terms, but the word "father" is only mentioned three times, while the term "mother" appears 18 times.
"Furthermore, the policy promises to 'provide those parents with flexibility to balance work and family life,' yet the imbalance in language continues to signal that mothers remain the primary focus of caregiving restricting progression towards flexibility in parenting roles," the study read.
This also highlights the government's role as gatekeepers to parenthood and further limiting paternal involvement, according to the study.
"The power of the government in determining access to leave benefits further exacerbates these biases, often marginalising fathers and limiting their role in caregiving to 'exceptional circumstances,'" it said.
"Although recent iterations of the policy have introduced more inclusive, gender-neutral language, significant challenges remain in fully recognising and supporting fathers as equal caregivers and providing mothers more flexibility with returning to the workplace."
Fathers' low PPL uptake
The research said the language used in the PPL framework has the potential to hinder fathers' participation in caregiving, as well as reinforce unequal division of labour at home.
In Australia, data analysed from the Australian Institute of Family Studies showed that only 40% of eligible fathers were taking up Dad and Partner Pay (DAPP) before it was merged into the PPL.
According to Griffith University's study, the DAPP scheme was also relatively weaker compared with other father-specific leave policies in other countries.
Korea offers fathers 54 weeks of paid leave, and in other countries, especially in Europe, fathers receive several weeks or months of paid leave that cannot be transferred to the mother, said Associate Professor Bernadette Sebar.
"In contrast, Australia only offered two weeks of Dad and Partner Pay until recently, and even then, uptake by fathers was low," Sebar added.
"Other countries do more to encourage and normalise fathers taking leave."
The study said more robust efforts are needed to create a more equitable framework that supports both parents in caregiving.
"For this to occur, there needs to be clearer and more inclusive language, dedicated leave just for fathers, and recognition that caregiving is something both parents should be supported to do from the beginning," Lewington said.
