Work

Fathers Combining Work and Care: Flexible Work Arrangements and Paternal Involvement Across Financial Situations

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Flexible work arrangements significantly impact childcare divisions among dual-earner parents, yet few studies address their impact on fathers as primary caregivers. This article explores the relationship between fathers’ ability to work flexibly and their share of childcare responsibility across financial situations. A capabilities perspective is applied to better understand why fathers’ childcare aspirations may not align with what they are capable of in practice. Using 2021 survey data on fathers ( n = 493) and mothers ( n = 472) of young children in different-sex partnerships from four European countries, multinomial logistic regressions are estimated to predict childcare responsibility. Findings suggest fathers’ spatial flexibility (working from home) increases their likelihood of being the person primarily responsible for childcare, whereas temporal flexibility (varying the start/end times of the working day) does not. Economic conditions influence these dynamics, with financially strained fathers benefiting most from spatial flexibility.

Source: Work Employment and Society

DOI: 10.1177/09500170251386322

Authors: Carla Brega, Mara A. Yerkes, Marc Grau-Grau

Institutions: Utrecht University, Universitat Internacional de Catalunya

Language: English

Topic: Work-Family Balance Challenges

Subfield: Sociology and Political Science

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDGs: Decent work and economic growth, Gender equality, Reduced inequalities

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $3,900