Championing Men in Childcare
Our mission to break the stigma and what our latest survey reveals.
With 97% of the Early Years workforce made up of women, we are on a mission to increase the number of men working in the industry. Our experience shows that male practitioners across all Kids Planet settings competently carry out the same roles as our female practitioners. From story-time to imaginative outdoor play, the men we employ are chosen for their warmth, positive attitude, and passion to work with children.
As part of our campaign to raise the profile of men in the industry, we were interested to hear views about how men working in the Early Years are perceived in general. We carried out a survey across Kids Planet Facebook and Instagram stories, and the results were incredibly insightful.
What You Told Us
100%
believe men are a positive role model to children in Early Years.
92%
indicated that they would like to see more men in the industry.
99%
answered yes when asked if men should be offered the same career opportunities as women.
Our feedback from parents with a child at a Kids Planet nursery confirms this positivity. Responses suggest that men in childcare provide a positive balance for children whilst offering an alternative approach to learning and play.
However, the survey highlights there is still some way to go to improve male representation within the industry, as 8% of those surveyed stated they did not want to see more men in Early Years.
Overcoming the Stigma
Whilst men need to be reassured that childcare is a credible and rewarding career, there remains an assumption among many that childcare is a “woman’s job”. At Kids Planet we value the importance of modelling the fact that looking after and educating young children should be a job for everyone, not just women. Furthermore, the “care job” association that comes with childcare remains, despite continuous efforts to demonstrate that teaching and learning is a critical part of each day within an Early Years setting.
At Kids Planet, we give all our employees, male or female, the opportunities to build a rewarding career in childcare, encouraging them to view childcare as a profession, not “just a job”.
We have male Apprentices, Practitioners, Nursery Managers, and Childcare Directors. We consistently work hard to develop a culture and provide opportunities for all employees to feel valued and fulfilled in their roles.
Without a doubt, our survey results are overwhelmingly positive regarding men working in the Early Years. Whilst the number has risen from 1% in 2003, according to The Childcare and Early Years Survey of Providers (2010), it is clear that perceptions and attitudes about the importance of male role models in Early Years are changing, but there is still work to be done.
Our Groundbreaking GMCA & MITEY Partnership
As the third-largest childcare group in the UK, we are currently working with GMCA and MITEY to prepare for, recruit, and support a cohort of 12 men in Greater Manchester through our in-house Early Years (Level 2) Apprenticeship.
The 12 male apprentices will work in pairs across six settings, providing opportunities for male-only networking and mutual support via group training. If you are or know a male school leaver, or a male who may have lost their job or changed their working patterns or aspirations during the Covid-19 crisis, please get in touch.
Get Involved Today
For details about the Men in Childcare campaign and our apprenticeship opportunities, please email our team. Or, if you are looking to find a nursery for your child, use our simple tool to locate the nearest Kids Planet to your postcode.
