Men And Childcare
The British public is broadly in favour of men working within the childcare profession, according to new research from MORI. Three-quarters (77%) are in favour and 12% against. Many also recognise the benefits this can bring, particularly in providing positive male role models (mentioned by 53%) and a mixed gender environment (mentioned by 57%).
Most parents (84%) say that they are willing to place their children in a childcare setting where a male childcare worker is employed — though a third (34%) say other parents may be more suspicious. A quarter (27%) of men say they would consider working in childcare, but feel that fear of suspicion and distrust from others (mentioned by 56%), together with low pay (mentioned by 31%), prevent more men from following this career path.
Topline Results
- 2,021 adults aged 15+
- Interviewed face-to-face in-home
- Between 8-12 May 2003
- 195 sampling points throughout Great Britain
- Data have been weighted to reflect the national profile
- Base 'all' unless otherwise stated
I am now going to ask you some questions about childcare, by which I mean when children are cared for in a formal setting by people other than their parents, for example by a childminder, at a nursery or in an out-of-school club. This does not include the time when children are at school.
Q1 First of all, are you in favour of or against men working in childcare?
| % | |
|---|---|
| In favour | 77 |
| Against | 12 |
| Don't know | 11 |
Q2 Would you personally be willing or unwilling to place your child or children in a childcare setting which employed a male childcare worker?
All parents (623)
| % | |
|---|---|
| Willing | 84 |
| Unwilling | 10 |
| Don't know | 6 |
Q3 Which, if any, of these do you consider to be the main benefits of having men working in childcare?
| % | |
|---|---|
| So that children are cared for in a mixed-gender environment | 57 |
| Providing positive male role models for children | 53 |
| Helping to ensure the childcare profession reflects society as a whole | 38 |
| Increasing the number of people working in childcare | 23 |
| Other | 1 |
| None — there are no benefits | 7 |
| Don't know | 4 |
Q4 Which, if any, of these do you consider to be the main barriers to men working in childcare?
| % | |
|---|---|
| Risks of paedophiles working with children | 57 |
| People could be suspicious of a man working in childcare | 56 |
| Parents would not want their children to be looked after by a man | 34 |
| Low pay of jobs in childcare | 31 |
| Men might feel embarrassed working in childcare | 26 |
| Low status of childcare as a profession | 22 |
| Men are not as good at childcare as women | 16 |
| Men are not as trustworthy as women | 6 |
| Other | 1 |
| None — there are no barriers | 5 |
| Don't know | 2 |
Q5 3% of the current childcare workforce in Britain are men. Do you think there should be more men or fewer men working in childcare?
| % | |
|---|---|
| More men | 71 |
| Fewer men | 8 |
| Neither no more or no fewer | 15 |
| Don't know | 6 |
Q6 Would you personally ever consider working in childcare, for example in a nursery or out-of-school club, or not?
All men (996)
| % | |
|---|---|
| Yes | 27 |
| No | 70 |
| Don't know | 2 |
Q7 Which, if any, of these do you think would be most likely to encourage more men to work in childcare?
| % | |
|---|---|
| An improvement in the way the public view men working in childcare i.e. if less people think it is just 'women's work' | 47 |
| Better pay | 47 |
| If there were fewer risks of paedophilia accusations | 43 |
| If there was greater trust of men working in childcare | 42 |
| An improvement in the way other men view men working in childcare i.e. if less men think it is just 'women's work' | 34 |
| Higher status of childcare as a profession | 31 |
| More information about opportunities for men working in childcare | 31 |
| Better career prospects | 30 |
| Better training opportunities | 25 |
| More male role models working in childcare | 24 |
| Other | 1 |
| None of these | 3 |
| Don't know | 5 |
