Would you and your partner take time off work if companies offered 6 months paid parental leave for all?

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Having a new baby is an exciting time regardless of whether you’re a mum or a dad, and spending time with them in those first few months is a precious experience. A year ago Aviva introduced its equal paid parental leave policy, where all employees can take up to 12 months off, with no need for mums to share their maternity allowance. With this in mind, Aviva would like to hear your thoughts on giving all parents the same amount of time off.

Here’s what Caroline Prendergast, Interim Chief People Officer at Aviva has to say: “We decided to make all parents at Aviva eligible for the same amount of paid and unpaid time off, regardless of gender, sexual orientation or how they became a parent. We thought that dads would want to spend time with their new arrivals, just as mums do. One year on, our experience shows that with financial barriers removed, they do just that.”

You can find out more about Aviva as an employer here.

If all companies offered 6 months paid parental leave, do you think your spouse or partner would be prepared take the time off work to share childcare duties? If not, why not?

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I think that's so wonderful! I find it sad that so so few people use their SPL entitlement, so if it was financially viable I really hope that would encourage more couples to do this. I did shared parental leave with my dh for our first born, I went back when my daughter was 11 weeks and he loved his time with her! I expressed at work, and then had time again at home with her later on, and then he had time again at home with her. She has always been very emotionally balanced and when she started nursery at 8 months she was very secure, so i can only conclude it was totally positive for us. Yes, absolutely, the mother should only do it if she chooses to and she is well enough, I found my GP and health visitors to be fully supportive. I I also knew my rights and knew that nothing was set in stone and were I to not have been well I could have stayed on leave, things can be adjusted accordingly. It is so anti progressive of anyone who isn't supportive of this as an idea - it would mean enormous progress for the women who want to return to work and/or the families that need the income and can both be capable carers, it should be an entitlement for all working parents.

I think it's a great idea, I don't think the culture at my husband's work would allow him to take quite that long though more people are using shared leave so things are changing gradually.
Personally I'm very keen to keep all the leave to myself to be honest, luckily my husband is ok with that. But having the option is great and I imagine helps to change the culture in the workplace too which can only be positive.

Definitely, without a doubt. Having DH at home for longer would be really helpful.

My spouse would totally be interested in taking this up, but I would feel for his work, as they're a tiny organisation which would struggle to fund it..

I think when it isnt "taken" from the womens leave it's a great idea but in practice if it reduces womens leave I think it can impact on breastfeeding duration as pumping is such hard work. My dh would def have taken this up but we didn't take up the current system as it would have reduced my entitlement.
I think longterm this is a real employee benefit that makes them very attractive

My youngest child was in neonatal for just under three months and came home on oxygen for a further 6. This would of been amazing for us, I was lucky and had family nearby but other new mums don’t have that.

Great idea and there are several men in my workplace who have taken this up

My employer does this and quite a lot of new dads take at least a couple of months here and there. It’s great because it’s really changing the culture in our business. Five years ago it was very alpha maley and women returning from maternity were just shoved into whatever job was available and never got any flexibility but now we have a whole flexible working policy and a male member of the executive committee off for 3 months paternity so it shows that business can accommodate family commitments without careers being damaged.

I think this is brilliant, we would definitely both have been off in that first year, it would have transformed the experience with DS1

My husband took a week of annual leave after our DTs were born, becuase we couldn’t afford for him to be on stat pay.

I had pnd after they were born, and was terrfied and unable to seek help because I was convinced SS would take my babies away. I eventually sought help when they were 8 months old, once I’d devised a plan of how my babes would be cared for after I’d walked away from them so SS didnt take them away when they confirmed that I was an unfit mother, just like the horrible nasty voices in my head told me daily. I had it all worked out, right down to times of who’d care for the babies whilst dh was at work, where I’d live etc.

If my dh had worked of Aviva and had had the opportunity to take 6m paid leave he would have been thrilled and definitely taken it. From my perspective, I would’ve sought help so much sooner, meaning I would have got better quicker, and not missed that precious bonding time with my newborns that I can never have back which is my biggest regret. Maybe my pnd wouldn’t have gotten so bad in the first place because he would’ve been there, I don’t know.

To anyone who’s scared SS will take your baby away because you have pnd, don’t be, and please do seek help if you need it, but are scared to.

The 6m leave would’ve made things so much better for us, and well done Aviva for such a brilliant policy - I hope more companies follow suit.

Well done on such a progressive policy, let’s hope others follow. Yes, we would have taken this up in some form. The flexibility is great.

We absolutely would. I get 18 weeks at full pay maternity but after that it drops to statutory. As my partner is part time already we are doing shared parental leave as we need to financially. My partner will have the rest of my maternity but it would be wonderful to share more time off together when our baby is tiny without the financial concerns. It's been a huge headache figuring it all out with paternity/maternity/shared parental leave/keeping in touch days/annual leave and finance! This would be so much better if we both just got six months paid off!

Depends if its practical & affordable. I imagine there are many factors to consider including the family set up, job roles/ location/ salary, lifestyle, etc.
Sounds nice in theory though!