Published in the leading journal on social innovation from Stanford University, the article combines the theoretical framework that Dr Marc Grau developed as a research fellow at Harvard with contributions from three renowned specialists: Gary Barker, founder of Equimundo, an organisation dedicated to promoting men’s involvement; Laura Rawlings, senior economist at the World Bank; and Urvashi Sahni, a social entrepreneur working to involve men in caregiving and gender equality.

The analysis explores solutions specifically designed for men and couples, such as Equimundo’s Programme P, which promotes active fatherhood from the early years of a child’s life; and technological solutions to increase men’s participation in caregiving in low-income countries, such as apps that send voice messages on child health to fathers.

In addition to these targeted initiatives, the article reviews other studies highlighting the importance of supporting men in caregiving roles in the workplace. The findings show that men whose supervisors encouraged work/life balance were more likely to engage in everyday activities with their children, such as eating, playing or reading together.

The article from Stanford University is structured around three core principles that should be applied to encourage paternal involvement, as set out in the book Engaged Fatherhood for Men, Families and Gender Equality, co-edited by Marc Grau in 2022 and already downloaded nearly 200,000 times. According to Grau, the three key principles that should be implemented, whether in business, social policy or healthcare, are: to design and deliver solutions specifically aimed at men; to reduce conflicts between the provider and caregiver roles; and to build networks and social support systems that foster caregiving roles for men.

The publication concludes with a reflection on the next steps required to increase men’s involvement in caregiving. These include introducing caregiving routines during childhood and adolescence, having father figures actively engaged in caregiving, and greater education on this topic in schools.

The publication of the article represents an academic milestone that combines theoretical principles with empirical evidence and fieldwork on professionals in the field, in relation to fatherhood and men's involvement in caregiving. Dr Marc Grau is the vice-dean of the Faculty of Education Sciences and a researcher at the Institute for Advanced Family Studies (IESF) at UIC Barcelona.