When fathers use parental leave, they tend to be more involved in child rearing as the children grow older, benefitting the entire family. Well-designed leave policies can help parents share caregiving more equally, strengthening families and promoting gender equality in work and family spheres alike. However, many families, especially those with limited resources, underutilise paternal leaves, potentially deepening socioeconomic inequalities between families. SHARELEAVE studies how families share parental leave, focusing on why some adopt less typical approaches and how these choices change over time and across social contexts. Using data from Finland and other European countries, the project examines (1) patterns of parental leave use, (2) shifts of caregiving norms in parents' social environments, and (3) how social contexts influence leave-sharing in diverse families. SHARELEAVE aims to offer evidence-based recommendations for designing better parental leave policies.

2025

2029