THEY have shunned the corporate lifestyle and, instead, immersed themselves in playdough and facepaint.

According to the latest census data, there has been a surge in the number of men who choose to stay home, with 17.6 per cent of all Australian families with children under 15 now being raised by men.

The 7 per cent increase since 2006 indicates that men are no longer taking a backseat in their parenting responsibilities - a fact that experts believe is linked to both women's increased participation in the workforce and men's desire to be more present in their children's lives.

University of Technology Sydney sociology lecturer Dr Peter West said the figures support the growing trend of fathers who are choosing to spend more quality time with their kids, even if it means spending less time at work.

"The baby boomers were more father-hungry than this generation," Dr West said.

"Dads are now finding greater rewards from their kids and are being encouraged to by women."

The surge in stay-at-home dads has meant that charities which offer parenting courses have been flooded by requests from men who wish to pick up a few tips.

The Home Interaction Program for Parents and Youngsters (HIPPY), which received a $32.5 million federal government grant in 2009, has seen a dramatic rise in the number of fathers signing up for early development enrichment programs.

HIPPY runs a two-year home-based parenting program that targets families with young children, with the aim of, among other things, fostering greater engagement between children and parents.

Iain Drennan, a father of two from Mt Druitt, has been a stay-at-home dad to his two children for the past year and says he has gained confidence in his parenting skills.

Mr Drennan believes his son Jamie, 4, has benefited considerably from the HIPPY program, which places an emphasis on one-on-one instruction between parent and child.

"I believe that more dads should put their kids first," he said. "They really are a reflection of ourselves. More kids need to be guided by their fathers -- it's important for their education and life."

Originally published as The kids come first