Men's Initiative

SCANDINAVIAN FATHERHOOD AND CHILDCARE
By Yvonne BEKENY, MA, Development & Cooperation
When we talk of about the Scandinavian countries, we are referring to Denmark, Sweden and Norway, but in this infant and young child feeding investigation, Finland and Iceland have been included on the list because they also share similar features. In Ellingsater & Leira (2006) used as a reference, they have been as such. These are the countries in the Northern part of Europe which share close historical and cultural connections. They are welfare states which assume total responsibility for the welfare of their citizens.
The Scandinavian countries are reputable in their work and family policies that promote gender equality and through these policies, provide more services and benefits for households and therefore lessening the burdens of families. Welfare and care services facilitate the employment of women in these countries according to Leira in Ellingsater & Leira (2006). Leira further states that fathers as well as mothers are presumed to be capable of balancing employment and the care of children. Although very slight differences exist among the Scandinavian countries, they all provide mothers and fathers with ‘the choice of either publicly prolonged familised care or defamilised care services. Parenthood targets working and domesticated mothers Leira emphasized in Ellingsater & Leira (2006).
Parental Leave
Parental leave in the Scandinavia is quite a long period covered by the state for both father and mother. The duration of leave for the mother ranges from six months to ten months and even up to eighteen months in Sweden (Eydal, B. 2008). Paternity leave is a shorter period and it is three weeks in Finland and Iceland, and two weeks in other Scandinavian countries. On the other hand it was surprising to not that paternity leave has been abolished in Denmark. Nevertheless, the father can share the parental leave with the mother according to their mutual agreement. The leave period arrangement under such an agreement varies from country to country (Lammi-Taskula in Ellingsater & Leira 2006).
In principle, only one parent at a time remains at home on parental leave to take care of the child, while the other goes to work or study. However it is normal for the other parent to take regular annual leave and stay at home with the other during the same period. Paternity benefits in the scandinavian countries depend on the length of time the father has been in full employment. Lammi-Taskula in Ellingsater & Leira, mentions that ‘in Finland, a father living together with the mother of the child is entitled to parental leave and benefit regardless of the mother’s position in the labour market. In Sweden, even if the father does not leave with the mother, he is also entitled to parental benefit if their child lives in Sweden and the parents have shared custody. These forms of leave are part of the Social Insurance scheme; therefore earnings related compensation is paid during the leave period.
References
•Ellingsater, L. A. & Leira, A. (2006) (Eds) POLITICIZING PARENTHOOD IN THE SCANDINAVIA, Gender Relations in Welfare states. The policy press, UK.
•Eydal, Gudny Bjork (Associate Professor, University of Iceland, Reykjavic, Iceland) (2008)
•Lecture Delivered in the Faculty of Social Sciences of the University of Jyvaskyla on the 19th March 2009.