Opt Out or Locked Out? : Examining Fathers' Participation in Primary Care of Preschool Children

This exploratory, mixed methods study, reports on the work and care arrangements of primary earner fathers. To date, fathers have been largely under -examined in the work and care domain, and though we now have a statutory paid parental leave system and much broader provisions for flexible work arrangements, working dads do not routinely take up these employment arrangements. Mothers remain the primary caregivers in most Australian households. This study draws on data from a large, national survey of 951 working fathers and semi-structured interviews with 14 couples to examine why. Results suggest policy, the workplace and within couple factors may all play a role in the lock out of men from primary caregiving.