The Men in Childcare scheme was launched at three Edinburgh colleges, Telford, Stevenson and Jewel and Esk, last year and has increased the number of male childcare students from one or two a year to 85. The initiative was launched after childcare practitioners and Edinburgh City Council became concerned at the lack of male childcarers.
Kenny Spence, manager of Gilmerton Childcare Centre, helped persuade the council to offer a free, accredited childcare induction course specifically aimed at men, although women are welcome to participate. The 16-week course is designed to allow men to make a choice about a career in childcare and can lead to a National Certificate in Childcare and Education. Mr Spence is now in talks with Anniesland College in Glasgow, West Lothian College and East Lothian Council to expand the scheme.
He said, 'Many of the men who have taken the course have said they were always interested in working with children but didn't think the opportunities existed for them and didn't know how to access courses.
'There is not a notice on college doors saying men can't come in, but it is difficult to be a solitary guy on a course. Now there is a change in attitude and people are accepting men into childcare.
'The most important reason for encouraging men into childcare is for children to have a diversity of carers. They get to meet other races and cultures in the nursery environment but we're not as pro-active toward gender. I think men are more likely to encourage rough and tumble, which is also good for the children. It is now known that men can be good carers - it isn't seen as strange that men are nurses any more, but childcare remains the most gender segregated profession, with 99.7 per cent of childcare workers in Scotland being female.'
Trainee nursery assistant Graham Wylie is the only male among 20 staff at Corner House Nursery in Edinburgh. He said, 'Men have become more involved in the upbringing of children and family life and I feel it is good to mirror that in the nursery as well as at home.
'In areas with a lot of one- parent families I also think it is a benefit because children have male role models in the nursery even if they have no father figure. Being the only male nursery assistant has not made a difference to the way my job is done and it is absolutely fantastic that I've had great feedback from the parents.'
For further information check out www.meninchildcare.co.uk.