I can speak from bitter experience concerning this issue!
When my wife died suddenly in 1994 I was working for a "leading charter airline" (sic) and was father to two school age children. I asked the then Ops Director of the company whether I could for an interim period work "part time". This was flatly refused on the basis that if I was allowed to do it then others would want to!. I would have been quite happy to go onto half pay but be able to work "family friendly" hours. I had no alternative but to eventually resign my position with the company.
In my opinion, most airline management have a cavalier attitude towards such matters and the only way we will see any changes is through tough legislation.