2026-02-12
Tatyana Kotzeva, Elitsa Dimitrova, Kalina Ilieva
This study investigates social disparities in the uptake of paid parental leave (PPL) and engagement in childcare by Bulgarian fathers within the context of shifting gender norms and recent policy reforms. Based on survey data from 503 fathers of young children, it examines attitudes toward involved fatherhood, motivations and obstacles to PPL use, and the interaction between gender stereotypes and socioeconomic conditions. Despite EU‐aligned measures such as a two‐month non‐transferable paternal leave, uptake remains limited due to enduring male breadwinner expectations, income‐related disincentives, and traditional caregiving models centered on mothers. Findings indicate a hybrid model of fatherhood: While maternal dominance in caregiving persists, a growing number of fathers, particularly those with higher education or remote work opportunities, are adopting more egalitarian roles. Logistic regression results highlight key predictors of PPL uptake, including the number of children, household income, and workplace flexibility. Moreover, PPL use of fathers correlates positively with egalitarian gender attitudes, implying that paternal leave functions as both a reflection and a catalyst of cultural transformation. Nonetheless, ambivalence endures among lower‐income and less educated fathers, for whom caregiving often conflicts with masculine identity. Overall, the analysis underscores that although normative shifts are emerging, sustained progress requires comprehensive support through policy, workplace culture, and broader societal change to promote equitable parenting and normalize active fatherhood. The findings enrich ongoing discussions on gender equality, social inclusion, and evolving masculinities in post‐socialist societies.
2026-02-04
Hana Třísková, Ivett Szalma
Societal expectations in Europe regarding the roles of mothers and fathers in the work and caregiving spheres continue to evolve unevenly. While the labour market participation of women has become widespread, shifts in terms of normative support for paternal caregiving have progressed more slowly, which reflects a persistent cultural lag in the gender revolution process. This study examines public attitudes towards work–care arrangements and preferences for organising work and childcare for preschool‐aged children employing data from the 2022 International Social Survey Programme conducted across 16 European countries. Applying multinomial logistic regression models, the analysis compares support for three ideal‐typical arrangements—traditional, semi‐traditional, and egalitarian—across a range of sociodemographic, attitudinal, and contextual dimensions. The findings reveal pronounced regional patterns: Egalitarian preferences dominate in Nordic countries, semi‐traditional models are more prevalent in parts of Central and Southern Europe, and traditional orientations remain dominant in post‐socialist contexts. Gender ideology, religiosity, and education comprise the central predictors of support for egalitarian arrangements, while attitudes towards the distribution of paid parental leave further differentiate national profiles. Overall, the results demonstrate that public preferences are shaped by the interplay of cultural norms and institutional conditions, which underscores the tension between advancing structural change and enduring normative expectations that surround parental roles in Europe.
2026-01-21
Barbora Gřundělová, Jiří Mertl
This article explores how fatherhood is experienced by the clients of Czech family social workers, paying particular attention to how class, ethnic, and gender inequalities shape these experiences. Drawing on qualitative interviews with 11 fathers, the study employs a critical, intersectional, and structural social work perspective to analyse fathers’ narratives about their paternal identities and everyday lives. The findings reveal that fatherhood is constructed and negotiated within systemic constraints, such as insecure housing, precarious labour, and institutionalised gender norms. Fathers strive to embody the ideals of the “good” father, typically defined through breadwinning, but their efforts are undermined by structural exclusion and stigma. The study argues that paternal identity in contexts of social exclusion must be understood not as an individual trait, but as a politically and institutionally shaped phenomenon.
2026-01-21
Kamila Ishchanova
The impact of fathers’ involvement in household tasks on fertility intentions is being both increasingly acknowledged and contested. This article adds to the evidence base by analysing the relationship between fathers’ involvement in childcare and housework and the short‐term fertility intentions of mothers and fathers in Belarus. Due to its fertility dynamics, marked by early first childbearing, low‐to‐no second childbearing, and high divorce rates, the case of Belarus presents an opportunity to revisit theoretical assumptions surrounding fathers’ involvement and their role in second‐parity transitions. Employing the results of the Generations and Gender Survey (2017) for Belarus, I performed separate logistic regressions for mothers and fathers who are fertile, aged 18 to 45, in a partnership, and have at least one child under 14 years of age in the household. The results revealed that fathers’ involvement in childcare is positively associated with the fertility intentions of the fathers, but not those of the mothers. In contrast, fathers’ involvement in housework is positively associated with the fertility intentions of the mothers, but not those of the fathers. Furthermore, education, the self‐assessed household economic situation, and employment status are associated with fertility intentions, while gender‐related values are not. The results provide partial support for the multiple equilibrium framework, but also challenge its underlying assumption that gender role symmetry drives higher fertility. Rather, the study reveals that the effects of fathers’ participation in the household are contingent on gender and the type of task, and that factors related both to gender and to economic well‐being and certainty should be considered when analysing fertility intentions.
2026-01-08
Alenka Švab, Živa Humer
The article draws on four qualitative studies of fatherhood in Slovenia performed over 15 years (2005, 2008, 2015, and 2020) to analyse factors shaping the involvement of fathers in child‐rearing through a diachronic perspective, situating the empirical findings within broader socioeconomic and policy transformations. The period under study included several ambivalent developments. On one hand, the intensification of work, flexibilisation, and precarious employment added to the primacy of paid work and men’s caregiving roles being given limited recognition in organisational cultures. On the other hand, family policy measures— notably the introduction of paternity leave, parental leave reforms, along with other work–life balance reforms—gradually supported fathers taking on greater roles as parents. The findings reveal that by 2005, the traditional model of uninvolved fatherhood was already in decline, giving way to new practices in the form of supportive fatherhood. Although men did participate in childcare and domestic work, their roles were chiefly to assist their female partners. Over time, practices of involved fatherhood also emerged, characterised by more active and egalitarian caregiving. Despite strong aspirations for active participation, empirical evidence shows a persistent gap between ideals and practices. Nevertheless, in Slovenia, fathers are now typically present during pregnancy and childbirth, make use of paternity leave, and engage ever more in everyday childcare, signalling a gradual shift toward the involved fatherhood model.