Follow Tag24 also on social networks
Save the Children Italy takes stock of the state of paternity leave on Father’s Day.
The fathers they have begun to regain their role in the family and they no longer want to give up the time spent with their children due to work commitments
Antonella Winterresponsible for policies for children and adolescents
The usage rate of the leave of paternity grew up in almost 10 years pmore than 38 percentage points and also increase in Italy voluntary resignation among fathers for childcare needs. In 2021, 155,000 dads took advantage of the 10-day leave: the most significant increases related to reasons concern health problems (+43.9%) and the reorganization of work in the company (+66.2%). A theme that is even more topical, since it extends a social question traditionally linked to mothers to father figures as well.
Paternity leave, Save The Children data on 2021
Paternity leave is becoming more and more a reality: ten years after its introduction, it has seen an increase in the number of applications and its duration: today it grants 10 mandatory days and one optional and can be requested between the two months preceding and the 5 following the birth: self-employed and semi-subordinate workers cannot use it. In 2021, the membership rate settled at 57.6% (about 37% of total births in 2021).
The trend is destined to grow more in percentage than in absolute numbers (weighing the demographic decline). From a qualitative point of view, however, Save the Children Italia highlights some differences: they are above all the ones who benefit from them fathers who work in larger companies, with permanent and full-time contracts. The discrepancy between North and South is enormous: 17%.
Among the side effects there is an increase in the number of consensual resignations and contractual terminations: male ones are 28% of the total, 10 years ago they did not reach 3%. It is no coincidence that the figure is significantly up on 2020 (+55%), while that of mothers is stable (+14%), and the reason is linked to the difficulty (or impossibility) of finding alternative solutions that satisfy demand and offer. A lot has been done but still not enough in terms of policies to strengthen childcare services and work organization that pays more attention to the balance between family and work life.
