Being a great parent is hard enough without stingy employers. As Year of the Dad approaches, DOUGLAS GUEST, father-of-three & head of programmes for FNS, explains why generous paternity should be standard.

NOTHING prepares you for parenthood and the vulnerability you will feel. The first weeks and hours are tough – the first years are tough! It is an emotional rollercoaster and employers that understand this are the ones who will ultimately be valued in society.

I am lucky: for most of my adult life, I’ve worked in the public and third sectors, which tend to have decent work-life balance policies. For my first child I worked for a national charity and had a week paid paternity and a week standard paternity leave. I took additional holidays.