WHERE ARE THE MEN? GENDER SEGREGATION IN THE CHILDCARE AND EARLY YEARS SECTOR

Men are a small minority of childcare workers, and this has contributed to skills shortages which have affected the sector's ability to meet rising demand. The paper looks at current initiatives aimed at recruiting men, particularly through the Government's National Recruitment Campaign, and the benefits which might be gained from their inclusion in the workforce. It explores the barriers to men's employment in the sector, including men's own perceptions of gender roles and attitudes towards 'women's work'. The paper identifies a range of measures which might lead to greater effectiveness in both recruiting and retaining men to the sector.