Member Article

Appeal for students to follow career in Childcare

The childcare industry is in need. With the demand for nannies, childminders and nursery staff at an all-time high, there just aren’t enough young people entering the profession to cope with demand.

Inspiring a Future in Childcare is a new campaign led by the experts in childcare, Tinies, and supported by organisations such as the National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA), Pre-School Learning Alliance, Professional Association for Childcare and Early Years (PACEY), the Department for Education, Careers Development Institute and the Education and Employers Charity. Launching today, its aim is to raise awareness of the benefits of joining the childcare profession – particularly amongst those, in school, currently considering their future.

Amanda Coxen, Director of Tinies, says: “The rising number of parents returning to work after having a baby has led to a massive deficit in the amount of skilled childcare professionals, and the industry just can’t keep up. Parents are crying out for help, particularly as the summer months arrive when children enjoy the lengthy school holidays - and parents having to cope with the struggle of balancing work and family with nowhere to turn.

“Knowing that your child is well looked after whilst you are out at work is invaluable and that’s why we’ve teamed up with a number of schools, colleges, career advisors, nurseries and the Government to look at ways to encourage more people, particularly the young, to be aware of the opportunities that exist within the sector.”

The campaign aims to target youngsters who are still in school and are considering their career options. It wants to raise awareness of the opportunities available to find a rewarding career, that allows them to make a difference in a child’s life, and may even provide them with opportunities to travel. In order to do this, Tinies will be calling on their network of nannies and professional childcare staff, as well as supporters of their campaign, to take part in careers events and occupational health talks up and down the country – particularly aimed at children in years 9 and 10 (and the Scottish equivalent).

Childcare recruitment challenges were exacerbated in 2014 when the Government introduced a requirement demanding that every candidate seeking a childcare qualification should hold Maths and English to GCSE level. However, this led to a large number of individuals with the perfect skills for childcare – reliability, responsibility, and kindness – who may not have made the academic grade – feeling that they simply weren’t good enough to work in childcare. But in 2017, after lengthy debate and campaigning, the Government’s Workforce Strategy 2017 amended this rule, instead prioritising the need for functional skills in the hope that more young childcarers will be encouraged into the profession and be able to progress their careers.

Caroline Dinenage MP, the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Women, Equalities and Early Years says: “This government’s ambition is to boost the status of our dedicated early years professionals and encourage the brightest talent into this already thriving industry – that’s why we are investing a record £6 billion per year in the sector by 2020 to help deliver affordable, high-quality childcare.

“Initiatives like this campaign will build on the measures we have already set out in our Workforce Strategy, and make practical differences to employers who want to recruit the best staff to make our 30 hours childcare offer a success.”

Another factor that affects childcare recruitment is the expansion of the Government’s free childcare offering for three and four year olds. 30 free hours a week for working parents could mean that nurseries struggle to recruit enough qualified staff to meet the extra demand for places. And, for parents who require nannies, there is an ever shrinking pool of quality childcarers to do these roles.

Amanda adds: “Working with children is one of the best jobs in the world; seeing children develop, and, most importantly, learn to have fun and explore the world around them, is hugely rewarding and it’s such a shame that talented individuals have been put off the role for the past three years – but, we hope this will soon change.”

Tinies has over 30 regional offices and has been in the business of childcare for more than 40 years.

Ashleigh Whatley was a nanny for Tinies for over 10 years and now works on the recruitment side of the business. She has had the chance to travel the world and experience new cultures in her role - opportunities that she might not have had otherwise. She says: “Why do I love working as a nanny? For me, there is nothing better than knowing that I have had a hand in helping raise a child and had a life-long impact on their lives. I don’t just like what I do, I LOVE what I do and not many people can say that!

“As a nanny I have been lucky enough to travel the world – Australia, New Zealand, Dubai, Mauritius, France and Italy to name a few. Combining a job that you love with visiting new places and absorbing new cultures is an ideal fit. Being a nanny is not just a job, it’s a vocation. It is tough and tiring at times, but above all it is fulfilling and rewarding; it is simply the best job I have ever had!”

Lynn Lewis started her career in childcare working in a Nursery in Northamptonshire. She now owns the Northants Tinies franchise. She says: “I often get asked what inspired me to choose a career in childcare and I can pinpoint it exactly. It was during a three week work experience placement in a primary school when I was about 14 years old. I was tasked with helping a very upset five year old little girl who was struggling to count to 10. Her classmates and twin sister had all achieved this, so the teacher asked if I could spend some time with her. With some reassurance, and a bit of extra help and encouragement, she grasped it and her tears turned to delight. It was such a great feeling to realise that I had helped towards her achievement. 26 years on, the feeling of helping a child accomplish something is still just as brilliant!

“Every day working with children is different, it is never boring. There are so many different roles that you can choose in childcare too, such as working as a nanny in a private home, working in a nursery or crèche, working in a school or children’s ward – and you can even work abroad. There are also lots of additional training opportunities available and new avenues you can take once qualified, such as specialising in working with children with additional support needs or progressing into management.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Katherine Adams .