‘Lost decade’ of progress after UK introduced shared parental leave, say experts

Research suggests fewer than one in 60 public sector workers share leave with partners when they have a baby

• Why shared parental leave is a monumental dud of a policy

Experts have criticised a “lost decade” of progress on parental rights after Guardian research suggested that fewer than one in 60 public sector workers are sharing leave with their partners when they have a baby.

Ten years after the introduction of shared parental leave in the UK, the policy’s architects said it had failed to deliver on its promise of “culture change” and called for bold measures necessary to allow more men – including middle- and lower-earners – to spend time with their babies.