Grandparents will get paid to look after children in Swedish ‘world first’ 50 years after country brought in paid parental leave for fathers

A groundbreaking change in law will allow grandparents in Sweden to take paid leave to care for their children.

Swedish parents can now transfer their maternity or paternity leave to friends and relatives, who can take time off from work and care for the children, while still receiving 80 percent of their salary.

Minister of Elderly Affairs Anna Tenje told the story The Telegraph: ‘These changes empower parents to shape their own lives, while also promoting stronger bonds between children and both parents or other close family members.’

Sweden already had a generous parental leave system, offering 480 days.

It was the first country in the world to allow paternity leave in 1974, and only 17 percent of fathers with children born in 2017 chose not to take advantage of this benefit.

Swedish lawmakers (pictured in the Swedish parliament in March 2023) have decided that from July 1, parents can transfer up to 45 days of their paid parental leave to a friend or relative, while single fathers and mothers can transfer up to 90 days of their paid parental leave . to dawn

While some politicians have already taken advantage of the changes, such as the Moderate Party’s Andreá Hedin, who transferred her paid parental leave to her aunt, others have expressed concerns.

Lena Hallengren, a member of the opposition Social Democratic Party, labeled it a nanny state policy.

From July 1, parents can now transfer up to 45 days of their paid parental leave to a friend or family member, while single fathers and mothers can transfer up to 90 days.

The law has also been amended to increase the number of ‘double days’ – on which both parents can take leave together – from 30 to 60.

‘Double days’ can be used until a child reaches 15 months, increasing from 12 months.