6 June 2005 - Blunkett calls on men to consider career in childcare
David Blunkett today called on men to consider a career in childcare as he launched National Childcare Week as part of Sure Start month.
As he toured a flagship Sure Start programme in south London, Mr Blunkett in his new role as Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, emphasised how important access to affordable, quality childcare was in enabling lone parents to get back to work.
He said men had a real role to play in childcare – it could help them take the vital step back into work, while enabling them to still care for their children and provide a positive male role model for children from an early age.
Mr Blunkett also met Chief Executive of the Daycare Trust Susan Crane, as the organisation launched a new guide for employers designed to help businesses help their staff to have a positive work life balance.
“Only two per cent of those currently working in childcare are men, yet there is much they can give to the profession and that it can give to them,” said Mr Blunkett.
“It is important for men to play a real part in raising children for the benefit of children, fathers and society as a whole.
“Recruiting skilled people to work in childcare is a key priority, but it is also important to get a diverse workforce to enhance children’s experiences and raise their awareness of others as role models from an early age.
“Good quality childcare can have a positive impact on children’s development, improving both educational and social outcomes and is also essential to help break down the barriers that stop lone parents getting a job.
“The Government has already funded a substantial expansion in childcare in the private, voluntary and public sectors, with the creation of more than 1.2 million new registered childcare places since 1997.
“And we pledged last year in the Spending Review to establish a network of up to 2,500 children’s centres by 2008 so that all young children and families in the most disadvantaged areas have access to one.
“There are more lone parents in work than ever before but I’m fully aware there is still much to do. Work is the best way out of poverty and it enables lone parents to set the best possible example for their children and helps increase their own self esteem,” he said.
“I welcome the new guide from the Daycare Trust as it’s crucial for employers to assist in filling the 600,000 job vacancies by recruiting parents who have childcare responsibilities into the workforce.”
The guide, entitled ‘Childcare, Employers and Exemptions’, is available free from the Daycare Trust to interested employers and hopes to help more businesses take steps to help their staff maintain a positive work life balance, enabling more parents to play a role in the workforce.
Daycare Trust Chief Executive Susan Crane said: “Quality childcare is good for everybody - children, families, employers and society.
“Childcare is everybody's business: It gives children a great start in life and helps parents work and train, and that's what we're celebrating for National Childcare Week.
“Employers can do a lot to support parents and our new guide will help employers take advantage of the new tax breaks on childcare so that even more people can benefit."
Mr Blunkett toured the Sure Start centre at Tulse Hill, Lambeth, and chatted to children, parents and childcare professionals as he launched National Childcare Week and its theme of ‘Childcare is everybody’s business’.
Mr Blunkett’s comments encouraging men into childcare professions coincided with a national campaign by the Department for Education and Skills running throughout June to attract more people into childcare, particularly men.
It will emphasise how much men have to offer to this profession but will also appeal to other under represented groups to get involved, such as ethnic minorities and people with disabilities.
Around 160,000 people need to be recruited to work in childcare by 2008 and the best way of achieving this is to attract people from as wide a range of backgrounds as possible.
Notes for editors
- National Sure Start Month 2005 is the fourth annual event providing an opportunity for Sure Start Users and Early Years’ practitioners around the country to celebrate the achievements of the past year. Details of the events can be found at www.nationalsurestartmonth.com.
- Sure Start is the Government's programme to deliver the best start in life for every child by bringing together early education, childcare, health and family support. Sure Start aims to increase availability of childcare for all children, improve the health and emotional development of young children and support parents in their aspirations towards employment. To achieve these goals Sure Start encourages the development of services specifically in disadvantaged areas as well as rolling out the principles driving the Sure Start approach to all services for children and parents.
- The employers guide is being published by the Daycare Trust in association with Imagine Co-operative Childcare.
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