There is no doubt that the early years sector is often a low pay zone, but paradoxically it is not a low skilled job - practitioners are caring for people's most precious assets and should be paid a wage that reflects this.
However, as those in the sector know, it is not that simple. Wages form a nursery's main expense, and estimates place expenditure on wages at 70 to 80 per cent of all parental fees. With fees the main source of income, childcare is unique in that it cannot price its service in reflection of wages that staff should be paid. If every practitioner was paid their worth, childcare would simply be unaffordable to parents.
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