Caring Responsibility - a less from the Swedish and the Industrial Revolution.

Prior to the industrial revolution both parents had equal caring responsibility because both parents had jobs in and around their homes - tyically in farming - with no requirement for anyone to commute to a place of work. 

The industrial revolution saw that change with one parent - the bread winner - forced to travel to industrial centres for employment.  That bread winner was consequently removed to a great degree from the lives of their children and that revolutoin has persisted to this day.

In Sweden both parents enjoy around the same amount of paid parenting leave during the first five years of each childs live.

The Swedish have had this in place for a number of generations because:

1.  Strong family units contribute to healthy communities

2.  Both parents have important contributions to make to the early development of their children and are best placed to do that by being present.

3.  The Swedish realised that to achieve gender equality in the workplace they would first have to achieve gender equality in the home.

The Swedish model means that workforce has or does not have caring responsibility and having caring responsibility isn't impacted by gender.

Police Scotland might consider leading the way - or following the Swedish - and addressing this significant difference in order to achieve greater workplace parity. 

Gender equality begins in the home. 

Police Scotland might put its finances behind this issue and lead the country - by following the Swedish.