The Government has signalled that it may be ready to extend paid paternity leave, following a review into balancing work and family commitments.
In a speech to the National Family and Parenting Institute this week, DTI secretary Stephen Byers said it was a Government objective to ‘widen opportunities for fathers to play a greater role in home life’ in the Green Paper expected next month.
He added that the Government also intended to ‘increase opportunities for women to rejoin the labour market – removing the barriers to women returning to work after childbirth.’
Other objectives included promoting more flexible working arrangements and simplifying existing legislation.
Byers said, "Change is needed. The current arrangements and practices are not meeting the needs of parents or employers."
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