Pressure of work harming nation's children

• Two weeks of paternity leave are 'paltry', Nick Clegg will say today, as a report shows fathers are already working longer hours than childless men and want to spend much more time at home with their children

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg will announce the reforms to combat what he will brand the current "Edwardian system" that "patronises women and marginalises men".

Proposed changes would allow couples to choose how they divide parental leave and go further than the previous Labour government overhaul.

The suggestions have been cautiously welcomed by parents' groups, but will face criticism from businesses who face the prospect of men taking long periods of time off work.

David Frost, director-general of the British Chambers of Commerce, said the plans show "a complete lack of understanding" of how small businesses work.

Mr Clegg will make a speech on the changes at the launch of a report by the think tank Demos, which concludes that parents working long hours in stressful jobs can damage their relationship with their children.

A third of fathers are working more than 48 hours a week as mothers have increased their work output in the past five decades, risking "emotional withdrawal" from family life.

The report will urge more flexible hours and an ability to be creative at work - rather than boosting pay - to improve parents' confidence in their ability to bring up children.

In his speech, Mr Clegg will say: "Right now, when a child is born, fathers are entitled to just a paltry two weeks of paternity leave.

"These rules patronise women and marginalise men. They're based on a view of life in which mothers stay at home and fathers are the only breadwinners. That's an Edwardian system that has no place in 21st-century Britain.

"Mothers are expected to take on the vast bulk of childcare themselves. If they don't, they very often feel judged. If they do, they worry about being penalised at work. Children suffer, too often missing out on time with their fathers.

"And men suffer too. More and more fathers want to play a hands-on role with their young children. But too many feel that they can't"

The Demos report, The Home Front, states that while educational background has little effect on parenting style, work conditions were shown to make an impact.

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Surveying 1,017 parents, the think tank found that guilt associated with long and inflexible hours damaged parents' confidence in their parenting ability.

But fathers are working longer hours than their childless colleagues, with one-eighth working more than 60 hours a week.

Typically, fathers increase their working hours after their youngest child reaches six.

Meanwhile, the number of working mothers in the UK has tripled from one in six in 1951 to two in three now, with 6 per cent working more than 48 hours and 3 per cent more than 60.

While mothers with partners were more likely to work part-time (41 per cent) than full-time (31 per cent), women raising children alone were as likely to work full-time (28 per cent) as part-time (27 per cent).The report also found that parents find their role harder rather than easier as children get older. Demos called for the UK government to encourage businesses to take the opportunity presented by recession and rising unemployment to experiment with flexible work arrangements and shorter hours.

Jackie Tolland, development manager with Parent Network Scotland, said flexible working can help, but may not be enough on its own. She said: "Parents gain reassurance from other parents who have also been there; as children grow they may need some 'top up' of their skills and how to manage the changing relationship.

"We also recognise that many parents do not have the option and far from putting any more guilt on many who do a wonderful job, we offer ways in which parents can look after themselves."

The Demos report will recommend parenting refresher classes to boost confidence when children reach primary age, as well as training for health visitors and SureStart workers to engage with fathers as well as mothers.

It backed transferable parental leave shared by the mother and father on a "use-it-or-lose-it" basis - something that was supported by 41 per cent of fathers and 31 per cent of mothers in a survey.

Report author Jen Lexmond said: "Work has a profound effect on parenting across all incomes.

"The right kind of work that is flexible and stimulating can improve parenting. But these kinds of jobs often come hand in hand with high levels of stress and emotional exhaustion, which can be a toxic mix for parental confidence.

"We have to recognise that our current system of parental leave ... isn't good for anyone - mothers, fathers or children."

Professor Mohamed Branine, an expert in international human resource management at the University of Abertay Dundee, said employees and employers must think carefully about where to draw the line between personal and professional priorities.

He said: "This report is an important warning, particularly given that current economic pressures and uncertainty over jobs are resulting in many people working longer hours. The key to a solution, however, is for people to work more effectively rather than work longer and harder.

"New technologies have played a factor in people working longer hours, with e-mail instantly accessible from mobile phones, but technology also plays an important role in increasing productivity.

"Management and employees should look at how they can effectively use new technology to manage and reduce their workloads, not continually overburden themselves."

He added: "The ideal solution is not job-sharing, but work- sharing. Instead of a single role being done by two or more people, is it possible for an eight-hour day to be reduced to a six-hour day? Can three people work as a team to meet all the demands of two positions? Smaller adjustments like this and smarter working are the answer."

Mr Frost, of the Chambers of Commerce, said: "The plans show a complete lack of understanding of how small businesses work."