The 2025 Working Families Best Practice Awards has recognised the RAF as the winner in the ‘Best for Fathers’ category.
The RAF was also short-listed for the ‘Best for Mothers’ award - a category which we won in 2024.
Now in their sixteenth year, the awards celebrate employers whose cultures and working practices are leading the way in developing flexible and employee-friendly workplaces.
“Having won the Best for Mothers’ category in 2024, and now the Best for Fathers, it’s a real accolade to have our work in both sections acknowledged.
“The Employment Policy and Parenting teams will continue to look at opportunities to support people at all stages of their parenting journeys. We know that there is still more we can do but it is fantastic to win these the award and compete alongside other large employers once again. We ask a lot of our people and know that the demands of combining work and family life are not always easy.”
Wing Commander Dave Lewis
SO1 Employment Policy
Judges at the national charity for working parents and carers noted our measures, starting from the earliest stages of the journey towards parenthood. Fathers are given paid time-off to attend ante-natal appointments. After completing the statutory qualification period, fathers are entitled to take paternity leave of two weeks’ full pay which can be taken at any time during the baby’s first year. The Equal Parenting Policy allows for 26 weeks of fully paid leave to be taken at any time within the first 52 weeks from birth or adoption for all parents, regardless of gender.
Opportunities to work flexibly are promoted at key stages of the parenthood journey. For fathers whose partner experienced a complex birth, an additional four weeks of compassionate leave is available, together with a variety of flexible working options.
Training to support fathers is mandatory for all levels of management, and tools are provided to line managers to facilitate conversations about the resources available. Free parental coaching is available for preparing fathers, for both the transition into parenting and back to work if they have taken more than six weeks’ leave. Parenting networks also provide a source of peer support and signposting.
The links below take you directly to further information for parents and Line Managers.
Support for Serving Parents on Defence Connect
The RAF also has a Support Group for RAF Parents Returning to Work, find out more on their Group on Defence Connect
Wrap-around term time childcare is available to all serving parents (including FTRS) with children aged 4-11.