International Conference on Policies and Parental Support
Past events
Programmes and keynote speakers from our past conferences.
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2023 Conference
The second International Conference on Policies and Parental Support took place on Thursday 20 and Friday 21 July 2023.
The conference was organised by York Business School in association with the Institute for Social Justice. The sessions provided a platform for discussion on various aspects of social and legal policies that impact parents in the workplace, at home and in society.
Discover more about the conference programme and keynote speakers below.
Attendees of the 2023 conference at York St John University.
2023 conference programme
Our 2023 conference featured 2 days of sessions, including keynote addresses, parallel presentations, and networking events.
8.30am to 9.00am: Registration
9.00am to 10.00am: Welcome by Professor Robert Mortimer, Pro Vice Chancellor: Research, York St John University and Keynote by Professor Anna Tarrant, Professor of Sociology, University of Lincoln
Session 1 (Chair - Professor Anna Tarrant)
| Time | Session |
|---|---|
| 10.20am to 10.40am |
Exploring the experiences of British fathers returning to paid work after extended parental leave Jessica Hobbs: University of London, UK |
| 10.40am to 11.00am |
Caring dads: Latest insights into the social neuroscience of fatherhood and their implications for social support and legal policies Pascal Vrticka: University of Essex, UK |
| 11.00am to 11.20am |
What's in a name? Parents and Carers networks and the myth of gender neutrality Mark Gatto: Northumbria University, UK |
| 11.20am to 11.40am |
Alternatives to Sexed Language in Perinatal Care Prof Fiona Woollard: University of Southampton, UK |
| 11.40am to 12.00pm |
The Importance of Leave Design in Encouraging the Participation of Fathers in Childcare: A Comparison to Sweden Ms Manisha Mathews: University of Birmingham, UK |
Session 2 (Chair - Professor Fiona Woollard)
| Time | Session |
|---|---|
| 1.00pm to 1.20pm |
The gendered impact of flexible and hybrid work on work-family balance and wellbeing Dr Naomi Finch: University of York, UK |
| 1.20pm to 1.40pm |
Family Justice System (England and Wales): What about the mental well-being of parents who are undergoing legal Care Proceedings with their children? |
| 1.40pm to 2.00pm |
Breastfeeding: Not on the Agenda Dr Ernestine Gheyoh Ndzi, York St John University, UK |
| 2.00pm to 2.20pm | Sharing the joy, sharing the risks – Exploring parents' enactment of gender justice within the constraints of the UK’s shared parental leave policy Ms Clare Matysova: University of Leeds, UK |
Session 3 (Chair - Clare Matysova)
| Time | Session |
|---|---|
| 2.40pm to 3.00pm |
‘Everything is down to me' – bereaved parents' experiences of support following co-parent death |
| 3.00pm to 3.20pm (virtual presentation) |
To Leave or not to Leave: Voluntary Maternity Leave Schemes and its Effects on Workers and Firms |
| 3.20pm to 3.40pm |
Challenges of Parenting, Motherhood and Fatherhood in Sub-Saharan Africa: Nigeria Case Study |
| 3.40pm to 4.00pm |
Workplace Supports for People who Experience Pregnancy Loss Before Viability: A scoping review |
5.30pm to 8.00pm: Conference dinner at All Bar One (13-17 New St, North Yorkshire, York YO1 8RA
8.30am to 9.00am: Registration and coffee
Session 1 (Chair - Ernestine Gheyoh Ndzi)
| Time | Session |
|---|---|
| 9.00am to 9.20am |
Transcontinental Parenting: Effects on the Lives and Circumstances of Lebanese and Liberian Migrant Parents in Nigeria |
| 9.20am to 9.40am |
Maternal Well-Being, Infant Feeding and Return to Paid Work |
| 9.40am to 10.00am |
Statutory Leave for Pregnancy Loss Before Viability in High-Income Countries |
| 10.00am to 10.20am |
Engaging with policymakers: developing a policy on parenting support |
| 10.20am to 10.40am |
Twenty years of ‘Varieties of familialism’: a systematic review of (de)familialisation measurement |
10.40am to 11.00am: Coffee break
11.00am to 12.00pm: Keynote by Prof Richard Petts, Professor of Sociology, Ball State University, USA. Serves on the Board of Directors of the Council on Contemporary Families and the Executive Board of the Work and Family Researchers Network (Virtual presentation).
12.00pm to 1.00pm: Lunch break
Session 2 (Chair - Professor Sarah Jewell)
| Time | Session |
|---|---|
| 1.00pm to 1.20pm |
Shared Parental Leave Evaluation Report 2023 does nothing to enhance father’s status as parents. |
| 1.20pm to 1.40pm (virtual presentation) |
The Limits of Parental Leave Policy: What Else is Needed During the Most Complex Time in an Employee’s Career Lifecycle |
| 1.40pm to 2.00pm (virtual presentation) |
Understanding parent’s decision-making process in taking Shared Parental Leave through an equal parenting lens |
| 2.00pm to 2.20pm |
Return to work after maternity for mothers: Challenges |
Session 3 (Chair - Ezinwanne Raymond)
| Time | Session |
|---|---|
| 2.40pm to 3.00pm |
The Importance of Supporting Dads Groups – how engaging with dads groups helps statutory services to improve engagement with dads |
| 3.00pm to 3.20pm (virtual presentation) |
The Impact of Covid-19 pandemic on children's, parents and families |
Closing remarks and end of conference.
2023 Keynote Speakers
Anna Tarrant
Professor of Sociology, University of Lincoln
Anna Tarrant is a Professor of Sociology at the University of Lincoln. She is also the Director of Following Young Fathers Further (2020-24), a UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) funded Future Leaders Fellowship. This study has a qualitative longitudinal and participatory design. This is being used to promote productive engagements and knowledge exchange between communities, researchers, policy, and practice. She has established expertise in applied fatherhood research and methodological innovations in co-creation and qualitative secondary analysis. She is the author of Fathering and Poverty (2021) with Policy Press and lead editor of Men and Welfare (2022), an edited collection with Routledge.
Richard J. Petts
Professor of Sociology, Ball State University
Richard J. Petts is a Professor of Sociology at Ball State University. His research focuses on the intersection of family, work, gender, and policy. Richard's research has a specific emphasis on parental leave, father involvement, and workplace flexibility as policies and practices that can reduce gender inequality, promote greater work-family balance, and improve family well-being. His first book, Father Involvement and Gender Equality in the United States: Contemporary Norms and Barriers, was released in 2022. Richard is a member of the International Network on Leave Policies & Research. He also serves on the Board of Directors of the Council on Contemporary Families and the Executive Board of the Work and Family Researchers Network. He has published extensively in academic journals, and his work has been featured in numerous media outlets including The New York Times, CNN, and The Atlantic.
2022 Conference
The first International Conference on Policies and Parental Support took place on Monday 8 and Tuesday 9 August 2022.
The conference was organised by York Business School in association with the Institute for Social Justice. Sessions covered various aspects of social and legal policies that impact parents in the workplace, at home and in society.
Read more about the conference programme and keynote speakers below.
Attendees of the 2022 conference at York St John University.
2022 conference programme
Our 2022 conference featured 2 days of sessions, including keynote addresses, parallel presentations, and networking events.
8.30am to 9.15am: Registration - De Grey 123
9.15am to 9.30am: Welcome and opening remarks by Professor Robert Mortimer, Pro Vice Chancellor: Research, York St John University and Dr Ernestine Gheyoh Ndzi, Conference Governor and Chair - De Grey 125
9.30am to 10.30am: Keynote address: - De Grey 125
10.30am to 10.45am: Morning break with tea and coffee provided - De Grey 123
Morning parallel sessions
| Parallel sessions 1 Room: De Grey 125 Chair: Dr Ernestine Gheyoh Ndzi |
Parallel sessions 2 Room: De Grey 124 Chair: Amy Holmes |
|---|---|
|
10.45am to 11.15am: Policies to Support Father Involvement in Parenting James Brown and Professor Charlotte Brownlow |
10.45am to 11.15am: Making music with Care-Experienced Families Ryan Humphrey |
|
11.15am to 11.45am: New fathers' experiences of requesting Shared Parental Leave in UK organisations Jamie Atkinson |
11.15am to 11.45am: Fathers' experience of taking Shared Parental Leave within established mother orientated support mechanisms and networks Dr Holly Chinnery and Ellie Bacon |
|
11.45am to 12.15pm: Daddy Leave: How to build a fairer parenting leave system for the UK Dr Jeremy Davies |
11.45am to 12.15pm: Where is the missing puzzle? Shared Parental Leave and Breastfeeding practices in UK HEIs Dr Ernestine Gheyoh Ndzi and Dr Anjali Westwood |
12.15pm to 1.30pm: Lunch and picture opportunities - Holgate Dining Room
Afternoon parallel sessions
| Parallel sessions 3 Room: De Grey 125 Chair: Jamie Atkinson |
Parallel sessions 4 Room: De Grey 124 Chair: Jessica Hobbs |
|---|---|
|
1.30pm to 2.00pm: Parenting through the pandemic Sam Atwell |
1.30pm to 2.00pm: "That's really important for parents to feel like they've got a voice": Experiences of Services in Parenthood Paige Davis, Ernestine Gheyoh Ndzi, Sue Shippen |
|
2.00pm to 2.30pm: Exploring the lived experience of fathers who took Shared Parental Leave during Covid-19 Dr Holly Chinnery and Jemima Hobbs |
2.00pm to 2.30pm: Men's use of family-friendly policies in financial services: an institutional ethnography Harvir Kaur Sangha |
|
2.30pm to 3.00pm: Covid-19 Career Survival - The Single Parents' Perspective Ms Elsa Ruxandra Olaru |
2.30pm to 3.00pm: How can we investigate parents and carers organising in the workplace? A critical community engaged scholarship proposal Dr Mark Gatto and Dr Ana Lopes |
3.30pm to 6.00pm: Touristic activities
5.00pm: Conference Dinner - Las Iguanas York
8.30am to 9.30am: Registration - De Grey 123
9.00am to 10.00am: Keynote speaker: - De Grey 125
10.00am to 11.00am: Keynote speaker: - De Grey 125
11.00am to 11.15am: Morning break with tea and coffee provided - De Grey 123
Morning parallel sessions
| Parallel sessions 5 Room: De Grey 125 Chair: Elsa Ruxandra Olaru |
Parallel sessions 6 Room: De Grey 124 Chair: Ernestine Gheyoh Ndzi |
|---|---|
|
11.15am to 11.45am: Making parental leave policies work for single mothers: Lessons from Europe Dr Alzbeta Bartova, Adeline Otto and Wim Van Lancker |
11.15am to 11.45am: Is Shared Parental Leave (SPL) feminist? A black feminist critique Dr Patricia Hamilton |
|
11.45am to 12.15pm: Exploring UK fathers' parental leave journey experiences with particular focus on their mental wellbeing Jessica Hobbs |
11.45am to 12.15pm: Balancing IVF and work: The law's role in supporting women undergoing fertility treatment Dr Gemma Mitchell |
|
12.15pm to 12.45pm: Shared Parental Leave - A catalyst for progressing gender equality or a reinforcement of the status quo? Using stories to explore parental leave decision-making dynamics in the UK Clare Matysova |
12.15pm to 12.45pm: Are fathers considered as parents in legal and social policies? Dr Ernestine Gheyoh Ndzi and Amy Holmes |
12.45pm to 1.45pm: Lunch and picture opportunities - Holgate Dining Room
1.45pm to 3.45pm: Research Impact case study workshop - De Grey 125
3.45pm: Conference closing remarks - Conference Chair
2022 Keynote Speakers
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Professor Udy Archibong
MBE
Professor Udy Archibong MBE is the Pro Vice Chancellor (Equality, Diversity and Inclusion) at the University of Bradford, directs the Centre for Inclusion and Diversity and provides strategic oversight for equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) across the institution. She is a Fellow of the West African College of Nursing and a Fellow of the Royal College of Nursing and has been recognised as a foremost authority on inclusion and diversity and became the first ever UK Professor of Diversity with a cross-disciplinary and institutional portfolio.
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Mark Williams
Fathers and Perinatal Mental Health
Mark Williams is a Keynote Speaker, published author and international campaigner. He founded International Father's Mental Health Day and the #HowAreYouDad Campaign to help ensure that all parents and families are supported throughout the perinatal period. Mark has spoken on television and radio stations around the world. Working alongside Dr Jane Hanley, he has published articles and books on Father's (Paternal) Mental Health. Mark is also an Ambassador for Mothers for Mother’s Charity.
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Jane van Zyl
CEO of Working Families
Jane joined Working Families as CEO in September 2018. She has 14 years' experience working in the third sector and has held senior leadership positions at a number of UK charities, including Samaritans and Sands. She believes in the value of a fulfilling, balanced working life and its transformative power to create social connections, build self-esteem, and impact the wider community. She is a passionate advocate of equal opportunity for all.
