Working Families and Lancaster University Management School have won a Big Lottery Fund grant to undertake a two-year study of the working lives of fathers in the UK.
The project will look at possible barriers to dads being more engaged in family life and is particularly targed at dads on low incomes.
Sarah Jackson, Chief Executive of Working Families says: "Men have just as much right as women to spend time with their children, and lots of fathers would like more time at home. But we have found that fathers are less likely than mothers to request flexible hours and more likely to have their requests turned down.
"There is evidence that a father's presence makes home a happy, stable place for children to grow up. Particularly in the case of boys, having a strong role model can lead to them doing better at school and having more direction.
Sarah Jackson, Chief Executive of Working Families says: "Men have just as much right as women to spend time with their children, and lots of fathers would like more time at home. But we have found that fathers are less likely than mothers to request flexible hours and more likely to have their requests turned down.
"There is evidence that a father's presence makes home a happy, stable place for children to grow up. Particularly in the case of boys, having a strong role model can lead to them doing better at school and having more direction.
Dr Caroline Gatrell, Lecturer of Management and Learning at Lancaster University Management School said: “An understanding of family practices, parenting and employment is fundamental to good management.”
Small businesses welcome news of review of flexible work extension
The majority of small and medium sized businesses are against an extension of the right to request flexible working, a poll has shown.
The YouGov poll by Alliance & Leicester of 843 SME owners and managers shows
38% of small business owners say they would find it difficult to offer the proposed plan to extend the right to request flexible working to parents of children under 16. It currently applies to parents of children under six and carers.
Some 65% say they do not have enough staff to provide flexible cover and 54% think it could stop them meeting customer demand.
Most feel it will be harder for them to implement than larger organisation. Over two thirds feel it is unfair on childless employees and over half said it would influence their recruitment of new staff. Some 47% think it is unimportant for achieving a work life balance.
However, only 29% are worried about the potential financial impact of flexible working. Other firms, including Auto Time Solutions, one of the UK’s leading providers of time and attendance solutions, argue that flexible working will help companies retain skilled staff at a time when they most need them.
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Pension changes for stay at home mums
Women approaching retirement who in the past would have missed out on full state pensions due to taking time out of work to look after children or elderly relatives may yet qualify under changes to the Pensions Bill.
The changes will allow up to 550,000 people due to retire before 2015 - 90% of them women - to make up to six years of additional National Insurance contributions so that they can qualify for a full state pension.
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