The government has pledged to conclude consultation this year on the possibility of extending the eligibility for parental leave to those with children aged over five.
The consultation was announced in the Support for all: The families and relationships Green Paper and will form part of the forthcoming consultation by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills on extending parental leave from three to four months.
The Green Paper also revealed the government would consult later in 2010 on whether the 15-week notice period required when fathers take two weeks’ paternity leave should be reduced to increase uptake of the provision.