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Just 3% of new parents took any shared parental leave entitlement last year. In many other countries where shared leave is offered, uptake has soared. Fi Glover examines what the policy actually offers, what the experience is like on the ground for couples and why the take-up has been so low.

Fi also discovers how financial and cultural barriers and fear of workplace discrimination are impacting on the experience of taking the leave. One dad who works as an employment lawyer for a large company explains how anxious he felt even asking to take shared leave.

Another recent study found that the majority of those benefiting from SPL are white middle-class parents who own their own homes. Has SPL in fact deepened the divide between people or can we look to a future where parental leave really is a choice?

Produced by Sarah Cuddon
A Somethin' Else production for Radio 4