Men in childcare: now is a ‘crucial’ time to act

Research undertaken by Lancaster University and the Fatherhood Institute found that only 14 per cent of the 184 managers that took part in an in-depth online survey have pursued specific strategies aimed at recruiting men.

Positive strategies like inviting male applicants for interview even if they are not a perfect fit ‘on paper’, or specifically inviting men to open days and making it clear in adverts that men are welcome to apply, are extremely rare, the report, which was launched today (9 October) alongside a training programme and toolkit, found.

With males accounting for just 3 percent of the childcare workforce and the sector facing a longstanding recruitment crisis, now is a ‘crucial’ time to act, said Professor Jo Warin, principal investigator from Lancaster University’s Department for Education Research.

‘We need to capitalise on the shift that we have seen in many homes during the pandemic, with men adopting more prominent, care-giving roles. This could open up a window of opportunity – but men need to know that early years education is an option open to them. It is a crucial time to act when so many traditional jobs are at risk and career changes are likely.’