Caring breadwinners? A comparative analysis of parental leave policies to promote fathers' care work

Abstract The question which policy measures facilitate greater paternal participation in childcare and promote the universal caregiver model (as opposed to the universal breadwinner model) remains a prominent topic of debate. Determining the extent to which states implement such policies is equally crucial. This paper analyzes which policies differentiate these two family models and foster the paternal shift from breadwinning to caregiving. To this end, an analytical grid is developed to identify a parental leave policy that is genuinely egalitarian in design. Two newly created indices within this grid distinguish between the egalitarian policy potential and a traditional uptake of leave. The analysis grid is then empirically tested on twenty countries. This qualitative, case‐specific assessment approach identifies examples of egalitarianism‐enhancing policies. However, as the differences between the two indices suggest, the flexibility in leave take‐up between parents leaves the potential of these policies largely untapped.