Q: What is the range of ages of staff in your setting?
'The nurseries I've worked for in the past have tended to have at least half the staff under 25, some in their thirties, and occasionally senior staff above that.'
'We range in age from 37 to 46.'
'The range of ages in the setting that I manage go from 19 up to me, with a mix of ages some in their twenties and some in their thirties. I will be 50 next week. I started my degree when I was 45 and completed it when I was 49.'
Q: Do you think working with early years children is too physically demanding as people get older?
'If all the staff were old it would be tricky, as there are physical aspects to the job. I used to work with a lady in her late sixties. She did a couple of hours in the morning for us and there were things she couldn't do, but that wasn't relevant, because we were a team and the team could do those things.'
'Working with children is physically and mentally demanding, but that doesn't mean that it should be a barrier to older people. Sensible adjustments can be made - making sure there are enough adult chairs, having a changing station with steps so older children can climb up, or an elevating platform. Childminders would probably find this easier, as they are working from their own homes.
'There shouldn't be a set upper limit, but practitioners and their managers need to be aware of how staff are coping with the challenges. They should make necessary adjustments, but staff should leave the hands-on side of the profession when they are no longer able to keep the children safe - for example, not being able to run after a child or not being able to lift and carry children safely.'
'No, the children keep you active!'
'As we get older, sitting on the floor playing may be challenging. However, any issue can be overcome - sit on a beanbag or chair. Other than that, I don't think the job is too physically demanding for the more mature. It's all about one's state of mind! Young children need to be with a mix of people. At 49 I could I still do all the things I have always done with the children but found getting up from the floor tricky. The children used to bring a little chair over for me after circle time - that's all.'
Q: Is there an age that's too old to work with young children?
'As long as somebody adds to the nursery I don't think age is relevant. As long as they don't need looking after themselves, of course, but I've known some under-20-year-olds to need as much looking after as the children!'
'I don't think there is an age limit as long as the person is capable of doing the job. I once worked in a setting where a lady in her eighties ran the rolling snack bar, read to the children and was generally there as a "granny" figure. The children loved her and she had oodles of patience.'
'In Ireland the Government publication The Workforce Development Plan states that the majority of childcare workers are under the age of 35. This may be because of physical strain, low wages or women having children when they get older, and the wages in childcare are so low that paying for your own childcare while you work in childcare doesn't really pay off. In my opinion, it's because of the physically demanding nature of the work.'
'No age limit. Age does actually bring wisdom and different ways of dealing with things. I have seen practitioners too busy for children's little concerns. Children need time to unpick the problem with adult support step by step and I have the patience to just "be" while a child is working it through. I also have the time and patience to play football with that child who isn't ready yet to play with the group, rather than chat about who I met last night.
'However, older but experienced practitioners who don't upskill have the potential to stick to habits and methods that they have always had, possibly to the detriment of children. I have changed beyond belief holistically through my EY foundation degree and MA journey.'
Q: What benefits do older workers bring to the sector?
'Age and experience go together. Not necessarily job experience, either. Life experience is pretty useful too.'
'A range of staff with varied experiences can only be a good thing. You miss out if you just have 16 to 21-year-old girls who have only been nursery workers.
'A child once told me something about the older lady I worked with - "She's got grey hair so she's going to die soon". Just being there showed the child that older people can go to work rather than just stereotypical old lady stuff - she even rode a motorbike!'
'My daughters go to a wonderful pre-school with many older staff. Their snack lady is a retired member of staff who comes back for an hour each day. The fact that staff are very experienced and are mothers and even grandmothers themselves gives parents a great deal of confidence. Because they have worked with a great deal of children, nothing fazes them.'
'We are a lot more tolerant than younger people, having already lived and learned a bit more!'
'Common sense, perhaps more patience, life experiences which may include having their own children. Parents like to see older people in the setting, particularly in the baby room.'
'Frighteningly, I am very aware of the skills gap of the younger generation, particularly with regards to outdoor play. How can somebody who has not had to engage in risky behaviour themselves as children be able to support young children's drive to explore effectively? For many, 30 years old and younger, they are the cohort who have become institutionalised. Rarely do I work with a younger person who has a good awareness of the importance of young children going outdoors. My childhood experiences as a "free range" child left me independent, resourceful and capable. If our generation were unable to work with or support the younger generations, many essential skills will be lost.'
AN EXPERT'S VIEW
By Jan Bloomfield, owner of Little Green Man Nursery, Leytonstone, London 
At our nursery we pride ourselves on the diversity of our staff. Not only do we have a wide range of cultures, but our staff are also different ages, ranging from 18 to 56. Out of a staff of approximately 50, five are over 40 years old, ten are over 30, nine between 25 and 30 and the rest 18 to 25. We believe it is important to have a mixture of experience and background to create a balance for the children and parents.
We have a great crowd of young, enthusiastic, qualified members of staff, with experience in most cases, who are involved in every aspect of the nursery and children's learning, including dealing with parents.
The older members of staff we find are very energetic, and usually have greater experience not just in childcare but also, of course, in life. They are always willing to share and support our younger team members and students. They are reliable, flexible and confident to deal with difficult situations should they arise. They typically tend to have less time off for ill health or any other reason, and where they have children, those are often older, which gives rise to less need for time off to care for them. Perhaps unsurprisingly, we find the more mature parents respond well to the more mature staff, who may have a greater understanding of parenthood, often being parents themselves, or grandparents.
However, that said, they do not necessarily have better management skills or greater ambition. We have often found that our older staff have settled into a comfortable way of life and, possibly due to their family circumstances, possibly due to a revised requirement from work or possibly due to being settled with their position, are happy to take a back-seat role under the supervision and/or management from younger staff. I cannot think of a single situation where a younger person in a senior capacity had any problem resulting from this age differential.
Many of our older staff came here with NVQ 2 or equivalent and have taken the opportunity, with our encouragement, to continue their personal development and improve their qualifications to NVQ 3. My two senior members of staff, who are both in their mid-thirties, are in the second year of an Early Years Foundation Degree. It's never too late!
FURTHER READING
- 'Be discreet online' by Karen Walker (Nursery World, 21 January 2010)
- 'A fine line' by Jennie Lindon (Nursery World, 10 June 2010)