Mahila Samarbakhsh is sure that the 55-year gap which divides her youngest and oldest staff members is one of her nursery's greatest strengths.
She employs a range of age groups at Lexden Lodge Kindergarten, Colchester, and says that their different contributions are equally valuable.
'The children benefit from the wisdom of older people. They have their own children and grandchildren and their own life experiences they can draw on.
The younger ones are full of energy.'
For Mrs Samarbakhsh, the anti-age discrimination legislation coming into force on 1 October holds no fears. But for other employers across the UK, it will mean an overhaul of policies and practices in order to avoid potentially expensive employment tribunal claims.
The new law gives rights to every working person, as well as those applying for and undertaking vocational training. It outlaws discrimination on the grounds of age in areas such as recruitment, training, promotion and retirement and covers all employers, large and small, in both private and public sectors. It will make it illegal for employers to force workers to retire before the age of 65.
The new law comes at a time of demographic change: over the next decade, the number of people under 50 is set to fall by 2 per cent, while numbers of 50- to 69-year-olds will rise by 17 per cent. And it seems there is an untapped pool of older people keen to join the workforce.
A TUC report, Ready, Willing and Able, claims that, of the 2.6m 50- to 65-year-olds currently unemployed, more than a third want a job. The CBI confirms this age group can offer benefits such as a good attitude to work and customer service skills.
As part of its efforts to raise awareness of the new legislation, the Department for Work and Pensions funds the Age Positive campaign, challenging discriminatory age practices and highlighting the business benefits of a mixed-age workforce. It has already awarded Employer Champion status to more than 150 companies which are demonstrating their commitment to tackling age discrimination.
Life experience One of these is Mearns After-school Care Service (MACS), which operates children's breakfast clubs, out-of-school clubs and holiday clubs in East Renfrewshire. Director Penny Anderson laughs when asked what older staff members bring to her organisation.
'What they bring is youth! They remember all the playground games they played,' she says. 'Or they bring skills like knitting and sewing, and can talk to children about past times.'
MACS' staff ranges from 16 to 68, and includes members in their 50s and 60s - some may be retired teachers unwilling to give up on their working life, others undertaking qualifications for the first time since leaving school.
'The sector attracts women who have maybe had a family, and left school with no qualifications,' says Ms Anderson. 'Sometimes they come looking for, in their words, "a wee job", but end up going through playwork or management qualifications.
'We believe that childcare has always recognised that diversity brings many welcome role models, and MACS as a company is always keen to encourage and support training and development with all staff, regardless of age.'
MACS' policy is to promote on ability alone, which has led to some rapid rises through the ranks for staff who attained senior management in their 20s.
MACS' experience mirrors that of Lexden Lodge. Oldest there is Sonia Channon, who works part time. providing staff cover. Mrs Samarbakhsh says, 'Sonia is not qualified, but I can say that she has a whole life experience behind her, and has patience and understanding. The children see her as perhaps a grandmother. It is really nice to see the little ones hugging her.'
Sonia is by no means an exception within the nursery. Cook Lynda Cowell is 60, and until recently there was another staff member in the 60-plus age group who has now left to pursue her painting career. The staff mix of mature and younger employees was praised in a recent Ofsted report.
Ann McEwan, co-owner of ABC Nurseries along with her husband Malcolm, is equally convinced of the benefits of older staff members. They operate three centres - one in Cumbria, two north of the border.
She says, 'For people in their 30s and 40s, the job represents an opportunity they may not have had earlier while raising their own children.
I think they choose to come into the job for different reasons - the salary is less important, they come for the love of children.
'They bring a sense of security, in the way that a mother or grandmother does and I think children respond to that combination of security and authority.'
Among ABC's staff is former playgroup leader Jackie Hyslop, now 52, who admits that she is a mother figure not just to the youngsters but to some of the staff, too. 'I looked after some of them, in fact, when they were children at my playgroup!' she says.
Jackie Hyslop started work aged 43 and with no qualifications. She remembers, 'I came here as relief, then part time, then as full-time assistant, then senior. Now I am completing Level 4 management and starting as the office manager here at Dumfries.'
Potential problems But Mrs McEwan, while delighted that staff like Jackie gain qualifications, predicts potential problems in Scotland as SSSC (Scottish Social Services Council) registration is implemented across all early education and childcare workers. Those who don't have qualifications will be given a set period (probably three years) to achieve them.
Mrs McEwan warns this could deter many excellent, but unqualified, older employees. She warns, 'I think there will be many who will find the pressure of achieving these qualifications far too much, and give up. The industry may lose some very good practitioners with this particular new legislation.'
Change in culture There are predictions too that legislation might drive discrimination underground. Professor Mike Danson, an economist at the University of Paisley, says that new legislation must be accompanied by a change in culture and practice to prevent that happening.
He warns, 'There will still be some employers who will discriminate against age and come up with some other reason as a proxy for that. And I think the culture may change more slowly here than expected because we now have a population of young migrant workers who are skilled and flexible.'
The National Day Nurseries Association warns that nurseries must update recruitment and selection policies in light of new regulations, but is hopeful that the changes will open up opportunities for both nurseries and those interested in a career in childcare.
Chief executive Purnima Tanuku says, 'Employing individuals across the age spectrum has benefits for nurseries and children who can develop an understanding about the importance of diversity from an early age. Parents will also welcome a mix of younger and more mature staff looking after their children.'
Tackling ageism
Age Positive provides six 'top tips' for employers to tackle ageism in the workplace: 1 Remove age limits from recruitment advertisements. Avoid words such as 'young' or 'mature'.
2 Use a mixed-age interview panel in the selection process, wherever possible.
3 Promote people on the basis of measurable performance and demonstrated potential rather than age.
4 Offer employees of all ages the opportunity to train and develop.
Encourage reluctant workers by using, as role models, employees who have benefited from training.
5 Base redundancy decisions on objective, job-related criteria.
Automatically making workers over a certain age redundant or operating a 'last in-first out' system will lead to a loss of key knowledge, skills and corporate memory.
6 Agree a fair and consistent retirement policy with employees. Offer pre-retirement support and, where possible, consider flexible or extended retirement options.
Further information
* The Employment Equality (Age) Regulations 2006 - SI No 2006/1031 - come into force on 1 October 2006. Pension provisions in the Employment Equality (Age) Regulations 2006 will not now come into force until 1 December 2006.
See www.dti.gov.uk/ employment/discrimination/age-discrimination/index.html
* To download guidance for employers and for further information on the legislation, visit www.agepositive.gov.uk
* ACAS is the nominated agency to give guidance on the regulations and how to implement them. Contact their helpline on 0845 747 4747 or online at www.acas.org.uk
* The National Day Nurseries Association has introduced a legal helpline (0870 774 4244) to help members ensure they are working within the law.