Parenta July 2020 Magazine

More men needed
in early years
In December 2018, we reported on Wright and Brownhill’s
book, entitled “Men in Early Years Settings: Building a Mixed
Gender Workforce” which highlighted the problem of the
gender imbalance in the early years practitioners. At the time,
less than 3% of the early years workforce were male, and
despite various initiatives to try to recruit more male staff, the
statistics show little improvement so far.
However, that does not mean
that nothing has been done, but
parliamentary infighting over
Brexit (remember that?!), a quick
general election and the coronavirus
pandemic, have somewhat stalled
the progress that might have been
made. The problem has not gone
away though, and we wanted to
revisit the issue to keep it in the minds
of recruiters, trainers and owners of
early years settings.
It is thought that a lack of male staff
is due to a combination of factors
such as prevailing attitudes, gender
stereotyping and low wages, but the
impact is the same – many children
are not getting as a balanced an input
in their early years as they might.
For some children, whose fathers
are absent from their home life for
example, males working in early years
may be that child’s only positive male
role model.
In April 2019, the then Children
and Families Minister, Nadhim
Zahawi, announced a £30,000
grant to support a scheme run by
the Fatherhood Institute, as part of
a wider funding initiative to develop
the general skill level of early years
practitioners. The FI grant is to help
provide more male role models for
children in the early years.
At the time, Nadhim Zahawi said:
“Every child needs a role-model to
guide them – whether that’s a parent,
a close family member or friend, or
someone at nursery or pre-school
that makes a difference in their life.
“The early years staff who support
children in the first few years of their
education equip them with important
skills before they reach the classroom,
getting them on track to succeed as
they get older.
Just as parenting is a shared
responsibility, so is kickstarting
a child’s love of learning. I want
more men to play a positive role
in educating and caring for our
next generation. That’s why we’re
supporting the Fatherhood Institute
to encourage men from all walks of
life into early years careers, to give
children the best start in life and be a
part of this important and rewarding
sector.”
The Fatherhood Institute is already
providing a number of practical
resources such as the ‘MITEY’ (Men
In The Early Years) campaign which
is run with help from a steering
group of academics, employers
and practitioners. The MITEY
network includes male early years
practitioners, supportive female
colleagues, managers and owners
and others with an interest in gender
equality and early child development.
The MITEY website has information,
advice and input from existing and
new male practitioners including
‘myth busters,’ case studies, and
conference information, and acts as
a virtual resource to connect likeminded
individuals and organisations
doing their best to make Britain’s
early years education workforce more
gender-diverse. They are encouraging
everyone to sign up to the MITEY
Charter which “sets out a series of
statements clarifying signatories’
commitment to working towards a
mixed-gender workforce.”
One of its recent publications, “The
MITEY Guide To Recruiting Men”,
available from their website, is a
20-page guide calling on all early
years employers to take an active
role in recruiting more men, not only
because it doubles the talent pool
from which to recruit, but because
it begins to breakdown barriers and
gender stereotypes, showing that
men can be professional caregivers
and educators for the early years too.
And not just in early years education
– there is a gender disparity within
general teaching, social care and
other caring professions as well.
One thing that the team behind
MITEY recognise is that they cannot
change things on their own and so
they are actively seeking out anyone
who can make a difference and
contribute to the cause. It might be
a careers adviser that challenges
preconceptions about early years
roles, or a trade union that helps fight
discrimination, or an employer who
is willing to confront gender bullying
within its own establishment. If there
are to be more men working in early
years, it will take a concerted effort
from everyone and MITEY want to
hear from you.
Some longer-term research being
undertaken by Dr Jo Warin from
Lancaster University, in conjunction
with The Fatherhood Institute, aims
to “improve understanding about the
barriers that stand in the way of more
men taking up employment in the
Early Childhood Education workforce;
to learn about possible solutions;
and to harness this evidence-based
knowledge in ways that can help the
UK diversify the gender of its workforce
in the most efficient and effective ways
possible.”
This research is set to run until the end
of January 2021 and its findings and
recommendations will be published
once collated.
But what can be done now?
Whilst we wait for more researchbased
recommendations to emerge,
there are some fundamental things
that can be done at grass-roots level,
including:
1. The positive promotion of male
early years practitioners in
booklets, promotional materials
and websites including images
and case studies
2. Challenging gender bias with
parents, staff and the public – for
example if they express concerns
just because you have a male
employee, or if they assume that
‘some jobs are only for women’.
Research suggests that tackling
this early in a child’s school
education can have a significant
impact
3. Making sure your setting’s policies
and procedures are relevant and
do not assume any particular
gender bias
4. Promoting case studies of both
male and female practitioners
when talking to potential recruits
5. Raising awareness and promoting
early years careers at all relevant
opportunities - by visiting local
schools and colleges, including all
boys schools for example
6. Campaigning for better training,
pay and recognition of the
professionalism of the early years
workforce
7. Joining the MITEY network
We spoke to a few of our
Parenta male learners to find
out how they chose childcare
as their career; and what
they thought about the lack
of men in early years.
“I’ve completed my Level 3 with
Parenta Training and not looked back
since. I really do feel that the childcare
industry is lacking male role models
and I would encourage anyone who
has an interest in looking after children
to take up an apprenticeship - you
won’t regret it! What my childcare
training has shown me is the
importance of these young children
having a male role model during their
time in childcare, not just at home.”
George Ross
– Level 3 childcare practitioner
“If you have enjoyed babysitting
younger siblings then definitely
consider childcare! I’m looking forward
to starting my Level 3 so that I can
continue my learning journey with
Parenta. One of the main benefits of
having a male apprentice in a setting
is that so many of the children enjoy
and benefit having a male presence,
particularly when doing the more
physical activities.”
Callum Griffiths
– Level 2 completer
“I’ve completed my Level 2 with
Parenta and really looking forward
to doing my Level 3 and then Level
5 too! Ideally, I would like to run my
own childcare setting. I would really
encourage any guys that are thinking
about going into childcare to do it!
There is probably not enough exposure
for males working in early years and I
feel like the children get so much out
of a male carer, especially when doing
sports activities.”
Michael Baulk
– Level 2 completer
34 July 2020 | parenta.com
parenta.com | July 2020 35