Charity calls for action to boost male childcare numbers

Setting out a four-point plan for addressing the shortage of men in the early years workforce, the foundation said while the issue has long been debated it is time for action to be taken.

The plan calls for the creation of a Men in Early Years Advisory Group to monitor and assess progress in male early years worker recruitment twice a year, as well as a professional development programme for the sector that recognises and rewards the contribution both genders make to childcare services.

It also calls for the recruitment of early years male role models who can encourage more male recruits by acting as ambassadors in schools, colleges and careers fairs.

It adds that there must be greater support and acceptance for men working in childcare in the sector, among the press and parents.

The foundation's call coincides with news that two in three councils that provide nursery services do not employ any men and a report on the early years workforce by the Education Policy Institute found that 97 per cent of nursery staff are women.

"We need to widen the talent pool if we are to staff the early years sector with high-quality male nursery teachers and assistants," said June O'Sullivan, chief executive of the foundation, which runs 37 nurseries in the capital. "Studies show that children see little difference between the care provided by male teachers and that provided by their female counterparts."

"Whilst the nature of modern work is changing, the perception that nursery teaching is not for men persists and the experiences of men in early years demonstrate how pervasive negative stereotypes remain. We now need a robust strategy in place that will affect culture change and shift attitudes for the better and for the sake of our children - and female teachers and assistants need to help drive this."

The launch of the foundation's four-point plan came as children's minister Nadhim Zahawi fielded questions about gender imbalance within the early years workforce appearing before the education select committee.

"There is an issue," Zahawi told the committee. "We do need to do more and one of the areas we are looking to do more is on Level 3 apprenticeships to get more people considering a career in early years, especially males.

"A lack of male role models is something that is not a good thing, so we are very much focused on trying to get more candidates through the system including using the apprenticeship programme."

In 2012 a survey by the London Early Years Foundation found that 60.7 per cent of staff believed the lack of men in the workforce was because males are not encouraged to join the profession. In addition, 51.8 per cent felt men avoided childcare careers because of societal attitudes.