Dads want more flexible working options to be ‘better dads’ - study

More than 2,000 fathers surveyed during the Spring 2020 lockdown, 76 per cent said they wanted to work more flexibly and 63 per cent wanted to work more from home in the future. 

The report Lockdown Fathers: the untold story, funded by the Nuffield Foundation, found that fathers spent more time with their children; built stronger relationships with them, and improved their parenting skills during the first Covid-19 lockdown.

One of the report’s key recommendations is for schools and early years education providers to communicate with and mobilise dads to help with post-pandemic ‘catch-up’ learning, building on what fathers did during the lockdowns.

Fathers surveyed  also grew in confidence as parents, gained greater insights into their partner's caring roles, and did more housework.

As a result, the Fatherhood Institute has launched the Time with Dad #timewithdad campaign, which aims to connect employers, schools, parents and others who want to ‘build back’ from the pandemic in ways that take account of fathers’ caring responsibilities.

Adrienne Burgess, co-chief executive of the Fatherhood Institute said, ‘During lockdowns, fathers grew in confidence and competence, providing much more childcare and educational support. Post-pandemic, government, employers and trades unions should help them retain gains in home and flexible working, and schools should enlist dads to help in the huge educational "catch-up" programme. Through our Time with Dad campaign, we are building a space to develop new and innovative solutions.’

Ruth Maisey, education programme head at the Nuffield Foundation, said, ‘As lockdown ends, and businesses and offices re-open, employers will be making arrangements for their staff to return to work.

'We urge employers to consider policies which will improve the work-life balance for their employees, including fathers. We also hope that fathers will grasp this opportunity and negotiate the terms on which they return, for instance submitting flexible working requests, so they retain some of the positive changes brought about by lockdown.’

Here are some of the key findings in the report: