Nina1976 Posted August 18, 2010 Share Posted August 18, 2010 Hi, Im new to threading and not sure if Im doing it right... But... I am about to start my 3rd year BA Childhood Studies (Early Years) and the dreaded dissertation! I would like to research the experiences of the male early childhood carer and need some men who work in this role to maybe offer up their experiences. I would like to know what influenced you to choose a career in childcare, what role and qualifications you have and how long you have been doing it? Also if poss. your experiences from peers, family, colleauges, parents and the children themselves. If there are any women practitioners who have an opinion on the male ECC, I would love to hear your perspective. If anyone has done similar topics and can offer any advice I would be really grateful. Hopefully this makes sense, look forward to hearing all your stories... Nina Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyMaz Posted August 18, 2010 Share Posted August 18, 2010 Welcome to the Forum, Nina and congratulations on making your first post. As you can see, it worked perfectly! You've obviously found the Men in Childcare forum so hopefully that will give you some food for thought. I'm not sure what has happened to Kiwiman's campaign - he's been a bit quiet of late, but it might be worth contacting him to see if he can give you some other lines of enquiry to follow up. Good luck - hope your post generates a lively discussion! Maz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hali Posted August 18, 2010 Share Posted August 18, 2010 hello and welcome to the forum - men in childcare - ummmmm. have a couple in the LA i work in - absolutly fab - children love it - BUT i think most decline below senior school for money and prestige resons Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nina1976 Posted August 18, 2010 Author Share Posted August 18, 2010 hello and welcome to the forum - men in childcare - ummmmm. have a couple in the LA i work in - absolutly fab - children love it - BUT i think most decline below senior school for money and prestige resons Hi Hali, Thanks for reply...pay and status do seem to be the most talked about barrier for the men! Hopefully someone on here will discount the theory! Nx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavidW Posted October 4, 2010 Share Posted October 4, 2010 Hello, I have been inactive on this forum for a while - mainly due to Early Years work committments. I have reviewed recent Men in Childcare threads and it appears that we are still asking the same questions. Speaking as a male advocate for a better gender balance in the workforce, I am aware that there is a desire to see things change. The subject is explicitly mentioned in the Coalition Agreement and the DfE and CWDC are both charged with doing something but I think that it's not top of the priority list right now. Following a round table discussion at the Daycare Trust earlier in the year, the CWDC have set up a Men in Childcare address on their Share Street website. There are pockets of activity and successful initiatves across the country but what seems to be lacking is coordination. The World Forum on Early Years has a working group for Men in Childcare but this is not active in the UK at present. The problem Kiwiman and myself have experienced - and well done to him for setting up MiECEUK website, is the difficulty in identifying male practitioners, coordinating activies and basically a lack of funding and time. If someone out there has some money for a conference / meeting / chat in the back room of a pub, let me know! The issues are well researched, known and documented, as are some of the solutions. Sadly, there is little will or resources to effect change at this time. But that is no reason to give up trying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Havennursery Posted October 12, 2010 Share Posted October 12, 2010 Hiya my name is Mike and have just taken over as the Pre School team leader in my nursery in Portsmouth. I think its such a shame that there are not many males working within childcare. In our area we have alot of single mothers and I believe it is great for the children to have male role models. I think the reason why there are not many men is the simple fact that we do not get paid well enough, as alot of my friends are builders or electritions they get paid alot more..................but hey whats money when you have got the best job in the world!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rea Posted October 12, 2010 Share Posted October 12, 2010 Just asked my 20 year son what reason he would immediatly give to the question 'why wouldnt you go into childcare?' He answered 'the way I would be precieved'. I think its a lack of education in the wider society. Drinking and driving was acceptable once so was driving without wearing a seatbelt. The media have jumped on the paedophile bandwagon and have distorted men so much that our children cant even play outside on their own for fear of being abused. Make something socially acceptable and the rest will follow. Oh and better pay in the whole sector Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavidW Posted October 12, 2010 Share Posted October 12, 2010 I think the reason why there are not many men is the simple fact that we do not get paid well enough, as alot of my friends are builders or electritions they get paid alot more..................but hey whats money when you have got the best job in the world!!!!! Mike, thanks for your contribution. You have described certainly my experience of working with children who don't have male role models. I completely agree, Men and Women working in our sector need to be paid a decent wage for the amazing, important job they do. I also agree it's probably (as the well known lager advert says) the best job in the world. I think that's one of the messages we need to get out to men - what is the benefit to them of working in the Early Years? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Havennursery Posted October 14, 2010 Share Posted October 14, 2010 The benifits for me are the fact that I know im having a good and important impact on the childrens lives, that is the biggest thing for me. The joy of working with children isn't something I can really explain I think you just have to do to see how fulfilling it is Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 21, 2010 Share Posted October 21, 2010 (edited) We have recently recruited a great guy who originates from Belgium where 40% of their EY's workforce are male by law! He is amazing with the children and a breathe of fresh air. Our area is one of great deprivation and the children love having him around. His philosphy for EY's is rooted in what's best for the children and his environment is driven by the interests of the child. we also have a new male student who initially felt a little out of place but no longer feels this way in the companionship of another male - more men in childcare please! Edited October 21, 2010 by Guest Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jenpercy Posted October 22, 2010 Share Posted October 22, 2010 Is it compulsory for men to go into childcare in Belgium? How do you get 40% if they don't apply. Seriously does anyone remember being told by the powers that be, that having more men in childcare would drive up the wages (similar thing being said about graduates & EYP). As if we didn't want to pay ourselves more wages. the fact is that for all the pontification about how women's awges don't equal men - the low wages of childcare workers underpins the whole system. Without direct subsidy from the gov we can't put prices/wages up. And in fact, the gov price for the free places actually hepls to keep the wages down. no one checks on the majority of claims to WTFcredits. apart from the totally fictious claims that I get calls about from time to time, I strongly suspect that some of our parents claim childcare for the holidays and then send children off to dad, grandma and assorted friends. WE should be campaigining for decent pay for childcarers. Instead we are forced to pay peanuts. Luckily, we mostly get dedicated staff but we do get stuck with a few monkeys we can't replace because we can't pay a good enough wage for 4 hours a day to make it an attractive job Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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