Amid the media debate over the Netflix drama Adolescence, Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson called for more men to enter the teaching professions, particularly in early years settings, as a way of combatting misogynistic influencers.
Getting more men into early education and childcare has been a long-held ambition for policymakers and the sector – in 2004, the then Department for Education and Skills set a target of doubling to 6% the proportion of male childcare practitioners through its Men in Childcare campaign.
However, the 2004 initiative failed to meet its target and by 2019, when the Men in the Early Years (MITEY) Network was launched alongside a fresh DfE drive on the issue, the proportion of the men in the early education workforce remained at just 3%.
Register Now to Continue Reading
Thank you for visiting Children & Young People Now and making use of our archive of more than 60,000 expert features, topics hubs, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:
What's Included
-
Free access to 4 subscriber-only articles per month
-
Email newsletter providing advice and guidance across the sector
Already have an account? Sign in here
