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The Conversation
The Conversation
Paul Hodkinson, Professor of Sociology, University of Surrey

COVID may have enhanced many dads' involvement in parenting – our research shows why caregiving roles can last

Caregiving UK Office for National Statistics Pandemic
Data suggests fathers took on more childcare during the pandemic. SeventyFour/Shutterstock

Recent data from the UK’s Office for National Statistics suggests the COVID pandemic may have triggered a substantial rise in the number of stay-at-home dads across the country. One in nine stay-at-home parents were fathers in 2022, compared with one in 14 in 2019.

The pandemic may also have accelerated a broader shift in the share of childcare fathers are taking on. Figures suggest UK working fathers spent 65% of the time working mothers did on childcare in 2022, compared with 54% in 2014 to 2015.

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