SHARELEAVE

Parental leave in context: social drivers of sharing care


Timetable01.09.202531.08.2029

Project statusActive

Principal Investigator
Project personnel

Fields of Science

FundersSuomen Akatemia

Project budget850 000€ - 900 000€

Strategic research and education profilesLapset, nuoret ja oppiminen

Research flagshipINVEST

Sustainable development goalsEriarvoisuuden vähentäminen
; Ihmisarvoista työtä ja talouskasvua; Sukupuolten tasa-arvo

SummaryHankkeessa tutkitaan perhevapaiden jakamista isien ja äitien välillä sekä isien perhevapaiden käyttöä tukevia ja
vaikeuttavia tekijöitä. Kiinnostus on erityisesti perheissä, joissa vapaan jakaminen on vähemmän tyypillistä.


Additional infoWhen 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.


Last updated on 12/06/2026 03:24:03 PM