Enabled but not transformed – narratives on parental involvement among first-time mothers and fathers in Germany in the context of parental leave policy design

ABSTRACT

Assuming that policy design can impact gender equity in caretaking, this paper examines how expectant mothers and fathers understand and respond to specific parental leave policy elements when shaping their parenting practices. Taking Germany as a case study, this research draws on semi-structured interviews conducted between October 2019 and March 2020 with 18 couples, who were expecting their first child at the time of the interview. Germany’s parental leave policy has shifted substantially since 2007, most notably with the establishment of non-transferable parental leave months for fathers. Exploring the link between policy design at the macro-level and parental involvement at the micro-level, this paper focuses on how mothers and fathers make sense of their leave entitlements when dividing leave, which (policy) aspects they consider as helping or hindering an equal leave division and how mothers and fathers anticipate using parental leave benefits. Results indicate that the current parental leave policy design enables greater equity in caretaking by normalizing some leave-taking by fathers. However, by providing an option for fathers’ leaves to be split and to be taken concurrently with mothers the policy limits fathers’ solo parenting responsibility and consequently prevents a transformation of gendered parenting practices.

KEYWORDS:

• parental leave
• policy design
• parenting practices
• gender equity
• Germany
• qualitative research

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1 It is noteworthy that this trend may have slowed in recent years and among younger cohorts (Barth et al., 2020; Lois, 2020).

2 When referring to Brighouse and Wright’s concept I use the term ‘equality’, as this is the terminology they use. In all other contexts, I use the term equity.

3 In the German context, pregnancy counsellors provide advice and resources on legal, financial and relationship matters around pregnancy. Pregnancy counselling is a legal entitlement in Germany, and it is provided by governmental, non-profit and faith-based organizations.

4 It should be noted that the official government brochure is commonly used as the basis of the information distributed by employers and in information sessions.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Tjorven Sievers

Tjorven Sievers holds a PhD in Public Policy from Oregon State University. She is interested in the link between family policy design and (in-) equity in caretaking. In particular, her research focuses on the role of parental leave and early childhood education and care (ECEC) policy design in shaping gendered parenting practices. Before completing her PhD, she received a master’s degree in International Social Development from the University of East Anglia in the United Kingdom and a bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Public Administration from the University of Potsdam in Germany. She currently works as a Policy and Research Analyst with Paid Leave Oregon in the United States, where she supports equitable program implementation of Oregon's paid family and medical leave policy.