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Paid parenting leave from a child perspective: a pillar of sustainable development

Author

Listed:
  • O'Brien, Margaret
  • Reimer, Thordis
  • Eydal, Guðný Björk
  • Escobedo, Anna
  • Serrano, Cristina Castellanos
  • Devlieghere, Jochen
  • Grau-Grau, Marc
  • Hwang, Philip

Abstract

Parenting leave policies play a crucial role in enabling children to grow up in economically secure, family-based care environments during the earliest and most sensitive stages of life. The first 1,000 days, from conception to a child’s second birthday, represent a critical developmental window in which early relationships, emotional regulation, health, and developmental trajectories are shaped. Yet parenting leave has too often been understood primarily as a labour market instrument or as support for parents, rather than as a policy that directly affects children’s rights, well-being, and life chances. This White Paper addresses this imbalance by reviewing parenting leave policies across Europe from a child-centred and child-rights perspective.

Suggested Citation

  • O'Brien, Margaret & Reimer, Thordis & Eydal, Guðný Björk & Escobedo, Anna & Serrano, Cristina Castellanos & Devlieghere, Jochen & Grau-Grau, Marc & Hwang, Philip, 2026. "Paid parenting leave from a child perspective: a pillar of sustainable development," SocArXiv typ4g_v2, Center for Open Science.
    • Handle: RePEc:osf:socarx:typ4g_v2
    DOI: 10.31219/osf.io/typ4g_v2
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    6. Gillian Whitehouse & Hideki Nakazato, 2021. "Dimensions of Social Equality in Paid Parental Leave Policy Design: Comparing Australia and Japan," Social Inclusion, Cogitatio Press, vol. 9(2), pages 288-299.
    7. Claudia Olivetti & Barbara Petrongolo, 2017. "The Economic Consequences of Family Policies: Lessons from a Century of Legislation," Working Papers 811, Queen Mary University of London, School of Economics and Finance.
    8. Claudia Olivetti & Barbara Petrongolo, 2017. "The Economic Consequences of Family Policies: Lessons from a Century of Legislation in High-Income Countries," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 31(1), pages 205-230, Winter.
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