Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-2brh9 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-30T23:12:28.978Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Where are the Men? Gender Segregation in the Childcare and Early Years Sector

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  26 March 2020

Heather Rolfe
Heather Rolfe*
Affiliation:
National Institute of Economic and Social Research
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Men are a small minority of childcare workers, and this has contributed to skills shortages which have affected the sector's ability to meet rising demand. The paper looks at current initiatives aimed at recruiting men, particularly through the Government's National Recruitment Campaign, and the benefits which might be gained from their inclusion in the workforce. It explores the barriers to men's employment in the sector, including men's own perceptions of gender roles and attitudes towards ‘women's work’. The paper identifies a range of measures which might lead to greater effectiveness in both recruiting and retaining men to the sector.

Keywords

childcareemploymentgender segregationmenstereotypingJ24
Type
Articles
Information
National Institute Economic Review , Volume 195 , January 2006 , pp. 103 - 117
Copyright
Copyright © 2006 National Institute of Economic and Social Research

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Footnotes

The author would like to thank the Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) who commissioned the research on which this paper is based as part of its formal investigation into gender segregation in Apprenticeships. Particular thanks are due to Sue Botcherby, Dave Perfect and Anne Madden at the EOC. The author is responsible for the interpretation of data presented in the paper.

References

Bertram, T. and Pascal, C. (2000), ‘The OECD thematic review of early childhood education and care: background report for the United Kingdom’, Centre for Research in Early Childhood, University College, Worcester.Google Scholar
Cameron, C. (1997), ‘A review of staffing in childcare centres in six countries’, Early Child Development and Care, 137, pp. 47–67.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cameron, C. (2001), ‘Promise or problem? A review of the literature on men working in early childhood services’, Gender, Work and Organisation, 8, 4, October, pp. 430–451.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cameron, C. (2004), ‘Building an integrated workforce for a long-term vision of universal early education and care’, Daycare Trust, November.Google Scholar
Cameron, C., Moss, P., and Owen, C. (1999) Men in the Nursery: gender and caring work, London, Paul Chapman Publishing.Google Scholar
Cameron, C., Owen, C., and Moss, P. (2001a), ‘Entry, retention and loss: a study of childcare students and workers’, DfES research report no. 275.Google Scholar
Cameron, C., Mooney, A., Owen, C., and Moss, P. (2001b), ‘Childcare students and nursery workers: follow-up surveys and in-depth interviews’, DfES research report no. 322.Google Scholar
Cameron, C., Mooney A and Moss, P. (2002), ‘The childcare workforce: current conditions and future directions’, Critical Social Policy, 22, 4, pp. 572–595.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cameron, C., Candapapa, M., Mooney, A., McQuail, S., Moss, P. and Petrie, P. (2003), ‘Early years and childcare international evidence project’, DfES/SureStart Research Report.Google Scholar
Children Now (2004), ‘Who says men can't care?’, 1-7 December, pp. 18–19.Google Scholar
Christie, A. (1998), ‘A comparison of arguments for employing men as child care workers and social workers in Denmark and the UK’, Social Work in Europe, 5, 1.Google Scholar
Cook, C. (2005), “It's not what men do’: investigating the reasons for the low number of men in the early childhood workforce’, in Hirst, K. and Nutbrown, C. (eds) (in press), Perspectives on Early Childhood Education: Essays in Contemporary Research, Stoke-on-Trent, Trentham Books.Google Scholar
Daycare Trust (2001), ‘Who will care? Childcare for all thinking big’, Briefing Paper 4, Daycare Trust and Unison.Google Scholar
Daycare Trust (2003), ‘Men and childcare’.Google Scholar
DfEE (1998), The Green Paper - Meeting the Childcare Challenge: A Framework and Consultation Document.Google Scholar
DfES (2002), EYDCP Implementation Planning Guidance.Google Scholar
DfES (2005), Children's Workforce Strategy: A Strategy to Build a World-class Workforce for Children and Young People, HMSO.Google Scholar
Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) (2003), ‘How can suitable, affordable childcare be provided for all parents who need to work?’, EOC submission to the Work and Pensions Select Committee Inquiry, February.Google Scholar
Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) (2004a), Gender Issues in Modern Apprenticeships.Google Scholar
Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) (2004b), Plugging Britain's Skills Gap: Challenging Gender Segregation.Google Scholar
Employment Research Institute, Napier University (2004), Gender Stereotyping in Career Choice: Research Project.Google Scholar
Francis, B., Osgood, J., Dalgety, J. and Archer, L. (2005), Gender Equality in Work Experience Placements for Young People, Manchester, Equal Opportunities Commission.Google Scholar
Fuller, A. (2005), Employers, Young People and Gender Segregation, Manchester, Equal Opportunities Commission.Google Scholar
Gould, T. (1997), ‘Buildings as well as systems can appear as negative to males in early years settings’ - Exploring the Role and Status of the Male Educarer Working with the Under-threes, OUP.Google Scholar
Hatten, W., Vinter, L. and Williams, R. (2002), Dads on Dads: Needs and Expectations at Home and at Work, Equal Opportunities Commission EOC Research Discussion Series, Manchester, EOC.Google Scholar
HMSO (1998), The Green Paper - Meeting the Childcare Challenge: A Framework and Consultation Document, May.Google Scholar
Hesketh, B., Elmslie, S. and Kaldor, W. (1990), ‘Career compromise: an alternative account to Gottfredson's theory’, Journal of Counselling Psychology, 37, pp. 49–56.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hill, R. (1990), ‘Involving men in the caring and educational services’, Local Government Policy Making, 17, Pt 3.Google Scholar
IdeA (1999), Childcare Workforce Surveys 1998, DFES.Google Scholar
IDS (2001), ‘Pay for nursery workers’, February.Google Scholar
Jensen, J. (1996), Men as Workers in Childcare Services: A Discussion Paper, European Commission Network on Childcare and other measures to reconcile Employment and Family Responsibilities for Women and Men, Brussels, European Equal Opportunities Unit.Google Scholar
Land, H. (2004), ‘Women, child poverty and childcare: making the links’, Daycare Trust, facing the future policy paper.Google Scholar
Lloyd, T. (1999), Young Men, The Job Market and Gendered Work, Joseph Rowntree Foundation, YPS.Google Scholar
Manlove, E., and Guzzel, J. (1997), ‘Intention to leave, anticipated reasons for leaving and 12 month turnover of child care center staff’, Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 12, 2, pp. 145–167.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Meleady, C. (1998), ‘The Sheffield Children's Centre's experience of recruiting and training men to work in services for young children’, in Owen, C., Cameron, C. and Moss, P. (eds), Men as Workers in Services for Young Children: Issues of a Mixed Gender Workforce, London, Institute of Education.Google Scholar
Miller, L., Neathey, F., Pollard, E. and Hill, D. (2004), ‘Occupational segregation, gender gaps and skill gaps’, EOC Working Paper Series No. 15.Google Scholar
Mooney, A., Moss, P. and Owen, C. (2001a), A Survey of Former Childminders, DfES Research Report 330.Google Scholar
Mooney, A., Knight, A., Moss, P. and Owen, C. (2001b), Who cares? Childminding in the 1990s, Family Policy Studies Centre, Family and Work Series.Google Scholar
Morgan, D. (1992), Discovering Men, London, Routledge.Google Scholar
MORI (2004a), Childcare and Early Years Workforce Surveys 2002/3 Overview Report, DfES.Google Scholar
MORI (2004b), Childcare and Early Years Workforce Surveys 2002/3, Day Nurseries and other Full-day Care Provision, DfES.Google Scholar
MORI (2004c), Childcare and Early Years Workforce Surveys 2002/3 Playgroups and Pre-Schools, DfES.Google Scholar
MORI (2004d), Childcare and Early Years Workforce Surveys 2002/3 Out of School Clubs, DfES.Google Scholar
MORI (2004e), Childcare and Early Years Workforce Surveys 2002/3 Holiday Clubs, DfES.Google Scholar
MORI (2004f), Childcare and Early Years Workforce Surveys 2002/3 Childminders, DfES.Google Scholar
MORI (2004g), Childcare and Early Years Workforce Surveys 2002/3 Primary Schools with Nursery and Reception Classes, DfES.Google Scholar
MORI (2004h), Childcare and Early Years Workforce Surveys 2002/3 Primary Schools with Reception no Nursery Classes, DfES.Google Scholar
MORI (2004i), Childcare and Early Years Workforce Surveys 2002/3 Nursery Schools, DfES.Google Scholar
Moss, P. (2000), Workforce Issues in Early Childhood Education and Care, Institute for Child and Family Policy, Columbia University, New York.Google Scholar
Moss, P. (2006), ‘Farewell to childcare?’, National Institute Economic Review, January.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Murray, S.B. (1996), ‘We all love Charles’ - Men in childcare and the social construction of gender’, Gender and Society, 10(4), pp. 368–385.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Observer (2005), Childcare shake-up will send men into the nursery, 6 March, p. 7.Google Scholar
Owen, C. (2003a), ‘Men in the nursery’, in Brannen, J. and Moss, P. (eds), Rethinking Children's Care, Buckingham, Open University Press.Google Scholar
Owen, C. (2003b), ‘Men's work? Changing the gender mix of the childcare and early years workforce’, Daycare Trust, June.Google Scholar
Peeters, J. (2003), ‘Men in childcare: first results of a project in Flanders’, European Conference on Men in Childcare, Ghent, 28 November 2003.Google Scholar
Penn, H. and McQuail, S. (1997), Childcare as a Gendered Occupation, DfEE Research report 23.Google Scholar
Rolfe, H. (2005), Men in Childcare, Occupational Segregation, Working Paper Series No. 35, Equal Opportunities Commission.Google Scholar
Rolfe, H., Metcalf, H., Anderson, T. and Meadows, P. (2003), Recruitment and Retention of Childcare, Early Years and Play Workers: Research Study, DfES Research Report 409.Google Scholar
Rose, M. (2003), ‘Good deal, bad deal? Job satisfaction in occupations’, Work Employment and Society, 17, 3, September.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rubery, J., Smith, M., Anxo, D. and Flood, L. (2001), ‘The future European Labour supply: the critical role of the family’, Feminist Economics, 7, 3, pp. 33–69.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ruxton, S. (1992), ‘What's He Doing at the Family Centre’: The Dilemmas of Men who Care for Children, A Research Report, NCH.Google Scholar
Scott, G., Brown, U. and Campbell, J. (2000), Visible Childcare: Invisible Workers, Trade Union Research Unit Occasional Paper no. 1, April.Google Scholar
Scott, G., Campbell, J., Brown, U. (2001), ‘The contribution of childcare to local employment: poor work or work for the poor?’, Local Economy, September, 16, 3, pp. 187–197.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Simpson, R. (2004), ‘Masculinity at work: the experiences of men in female dominated occupations’, Work, Employment and Society, 18(2), pp. 349–368.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Smith, M., Sung, S., Carroll, M., and Oliver, G. (2004), ‘Working in the child care sector: the tension of providing and accessing care’, paper presented at the Work, Employment and Society Conference, Manchester, September.Google Scholar
Sure Start (2004a), Guidance 2004-2006 - Section II - Delivery Guidance.Google Scholar
Sure Start (2004b), Important Update Information from the Childcare Recruitment Team, August.Google Scholar
Thurtle, V. and Jennings, P. (1998), ‘The experience of students in a gender minority on courses at a college of higher and further education’, Journal of Education and Training, 50, 4.Google Scholar
Vernon, J. and Smith, C. (1994), Day Nurseries at a Crossroads: Meeting the Challenge of Childcare in the Nineties, National Children's Bureau.Google Scholar
Wadsworth, J. (2002), ‘The issues facing men working in early childhood education’, Forum, 44, 1.CrossRefGoogle Scholar