Second earner taking up employment at 67% of average wage and the first earner earns 100% of average wage. Lone parent taking up employment at 67% of average wage. One way would be to gradually reduce the duration of the parental allowance so as to limit the combined maternity and parental leave period. In many other OECD countries with high female labour market participation, the combined maternity and paternity leave period is around one year (OECD, 2012b). The practice of withdrawing childcare benefits if working mothers use (public) childcare facilities should be discontinued.