Creating a balanced and inclusive environment for all children.
You may have noticed that at Nipperbout, we strive to create an inclusive childcare environment.
The children in our care come from all walks of life and often completely different countries, each bringing unique social and cultural and physical needs, backgrounds, and experiences.
For us, this inclusivity extends beyond the children we care for, it’s about our staff too. We know how important it is to provide a balanced team, representing a mix of male and female caregivers, with varying characteristics, skills and experiences. Doing so creates a holistic environment. But in an industry traditionally dominated by women, men are still a rarity.
So, why do we need men in childcare?
Young children are often surrounded by female caregivers – in the home, nursery and (unless it’s one of ours) at a crèche. This can create an environment rich in one type of nurturing energy but lacking in another. To foster a well-rounded view of the world, children benefit from exposure to different types of people and perspectives.
I know that men and women naturally bring unique qualities to caregiving, I’ve seen it in my 32 years of working in event childcare. I’ve witnessed how these diverse energies can help children settle and enjoy their time at Nipperbout as they learn that kindness, patience, and empathy aren’t limited by gender. A balanced environment teaches them that everyone, regardless of gender, has something valuable to contribute.
Men bring distinct skills and approaches to childcare, which some children may respond better to. I’ve found this to be particularly true for young children and babies. This isn’t because men are better or worse at nurturing, but because the energies and styles they bring to care can create a calming effect or offer comfort in a different way and some children respond to that energy.
When children have access to both male and female caregivers, they learn to engage with a wider range of personalities and skills. This variety enriches their experience, helping them become more adaptable, confident, and emotionally balanced as they grow.
For many children, especially those who may come from single-parent homes or who have limited contact with positive male figures, having a male role model in childcare is invaluable. Representation of both male and female caregiver can be a critical part of their journey toward building healthy relationships and trusting bonds.
At Nipperbout, we often work with children who struggle at school, their parents amazed at how quickly they settle with us. While a large part of the reason can be attributed to our approach and the familiarity of our settings, I truly believe that the mix of role models we offer has a bearing on how quickly a child feels comfortable.
For me, having both male and female caregivers is about creating an environment that mirrors the diversity of the wider world. Children are observant, and they learn as much from watching and interacting as they do from lessons and play. When they see both men and women working together to care for them, they begin to see that caregiving isn’t tied to gender. They internalise the idea that qualities like compassion, empathy, and patience aren’t “female” or “male” traits, they’re human traits.
This balance also creates a stronger team, as we learn from each other’s unique experiences and perspectives and identify the strengths that we each bring.
Unfortunately, men in childcare are becoming something of an endangered species. Over the years, especially since the pandemic, I’ve seen a noticeable drop in the number of men entering and staying in childcare role, especially those trained in Early Years.
As a temporary childcare provider, we are very proud of the team we have around us, we are also all too aware of the difficulties they face in other settings, often being discouraged by female colleagues from one-to-one activities and even nappy change tasks making them feel excluded.
It makes me incredibly sad to hear. While I’m encouraged by their preference in working with Nipperbout, I’m all too aware of the connotations such experience has in the long term as such scrutiny and stereotyping pushed them away from the profession!
I’ve been working to challenge outdated notions of who “should” work in childcare since Nipperbout first started in 1992 but we are still working to shift views on gender and caregiving!
In my opinion, the care and learning opportunities we offer in Early Years settings should be as inclusive and diverse as possible, and that starts with the team who provides them. Just as the activities and opportunities we offer children shouldn’t be defined by gender, neither should the staff who support them. We all bring different strengths, perspectives, and experiences to the table, and together, we can provide an environment that truly reflects the diverse, inclusive world we want children to grow up in.
If we’re having childcare, let’s make it equal. For every child, for every family, and for every future Early Years professional. For Nipperbout, creating a balanced team isn’t just a goal, it’s essential in creating a balanced, inclusive approach to care.
