Will the changes to paternity leave really make a difference?

The number of men who stay at home to care for their children as increased in recent years, but still remains very much the exception. In difficult economic times more fathers may take on the role if their wives can more easily find work.  But will they take on the role full time?  And when they return to work will they step straight back on the career ladder earning on average more than women, or will they suffer the same fate as stay-at-home women and earn around a third less?

This could have implications for gender equality in pay, particularly if demands from male employees provoked a change in the way everyone is treated on their return from a career break.

The changes introduced this month apply to parents of children due on or after 3 April 2011, and to adoptive parents who are notified of a match with a child on or after that date.  The regulations provide entitlement to 26 weeks additional paternity leave to care for a child under one, or for an adopted chiled in the first year after placement.  Leave can only be taken after the mother has returned to work and the child is more than 20 weeks old (or has been with adoptive parents for 20 weeks)

The standard weekly rate for additional statutory Paternity Pay is currently £124.88 or 90% of normal weekly earning if lower.