Research shows that how fathers use parental leave matters as much as whether they take it. When fathers take leave on their own, they tend to be more involved in childcare and housework, develop stronger ties with their children, and adopt more egalitarian views, with possible long term effects on the gender division of labour. Yet the evidence remains limited and often relies on small qualitative studies, making it hard to identify what actually drives these decisions.

Spain provides a useful case. Since 2021, both parents have 16 weeks of individual, paid leave, with flexibility in how it is used. While take up among fathers is high, only a minority spend any time caring alone. Explaining this gap is important for policy.

This paper uses original survey data collected in 2026 as part of the TANDEM project. It has two aims. First, it describes patterns of leave use, including how families organise and sequence their time. Second, it examines what shapes fathers’ decisions to take leave alone, looking at job conditions, couple dynamics, and stated motivations. The findings offer new evidence on how policy design interacts with gendered practices in everyday care.