Nursery World - Men sought for degrees

A university has launched a campaign to encourage more men to study childcare at degree level.

The University of Derby wants to recruit more male candidates on to itsBA (Hons) Early Childhood Studies course.

Ben Fradley (pictured) is the only male graduate in the history of thecourse there, which currently has five male students who are mentored bythree male tutors.

Programme leader Ruby Oates said, 'It is important that we encouragemales into this profession, find out why so few choose to work in thesector, and appreciate the possible barriers to learning.'

She compared cultural attitudes to men in childcare with nursing, apreviously female-dominated profession but where men are nowaccepted.

Ms Oates is involved in a project with the Pre-School Learning Allianceto explore how to get more fathers involved in their children'schildcare, and issues around male practitioners. 'The more involved menare, the more likely they are to see childcare as a potentialoccupation.'

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