Mogelijke drempels voor betrokkenheid van vaders Men in Childcare Is it getting better all the time?

Is it getting better? Research: profile male worker Campaign Exchange with European Colleagues Work around fathers My own personal history -since 26 years as man in childcare -as father

Gender segregation in Child care 2002 Under threes: nurseries: 12 men / % Family day carers: 44 men / % School children ( years) After-school clubs : 35men / %

To change gendersegregation in ECEC we need coherent policy on all levels: change social contstruction on care and young children make training and recrutement and services gender neutral long time policy on local and national and European level.

Is it getting better all the time? Why so many women go into childcare? Why men stay out? How can we bring more men in?

Why so many women go into childcare ? Care in Family is gendered Jobs in Child care as extensions of mother role Reserved employment for women Employment programs Girls have role model Possibilities combination work-family Iit gettng betterIit gettng better

Care in the family is gendered 18 the century: Division of work between men and women Raison and feelings become strongly gendered Women as protectors against corrupting market and vanity of public (men’s) world Mother care is seen as natural care for young children La mythe de l’ amour maternelle Badinter ’84 ‘Canella 97

From mothering to low paid work Hevey and Curtis ’96 and Moss and Brannen ‘93: Care of young children as extension of mothering role: women need no training. This reinforce the low status of early years work helping to keep pay low and turover low …and men out. Competences of care job are not clairly defined Employment programs for low skilled women Initial qualification low and offers no or few access to more education and qualification

ECEC: reserved employment for women Gendersegregation in professions is nearly universal but there are 5 times less female professions: secretary work, teacher and care. OECD 1998 ‘femine jobs allow combination work-family life. Esping –Andersen: birth rate dropped from 2.1 to 1.6 in Sweden due to elinimination of welfare jobs. Masculinization of female biographies hides persistent female choices Safe place for women

Why men stay out? Female world Badly paid Association with abuse Conflict with male identity No role models in own childhood Negative reaction of friends, family and school

Is it getting better all the time? 3. How can we bring more men in ? Professionalisation of ECEC Make ECEC mor attractive for men Gender neutral recrutement procedures Coherent long time policy on local and national level

Is it getting better all the time? 3. How can we bring more men in ? Professionalisation of ECEC Oppportunities for adult education Change image of training Link with training for other jobs Pre training course for men (Scotland) Possibilities for jobrotation Better pay

Is it getting better all the time? 3. How can we bring more men in ? Make ECEC more attractive for men Create experimental centres with as many men as women Father involvement ¨Images of men and children in centres for young children Networks for men working in centres (Norway) Gender neutral climat

Is it getting better all the time? 3. How can we bring more men in ? Recrutement: gender screening of procedures and materials Focus on men that were active in child or youth work Employment and training programs for adult men :

Is it getting better all the time? 3. How can we bring more men in ? Coherent long term policy on local and national level Gender balans as a quality criteria for ECEC Certain percentage of men required Gender diversity must stay on political agenda Increase of the salaries Gender neutral name for the profession

Is it getting better all the time? 3. How can we bring more men in ? Media campaigns around genderdiversity: Use male images of working with children Positive message: men have an important role in the lives of young children Wanted: Treasurer with down-to-earth attitude

Wanted: Foremen. Hut building skills an asset -Create an image that is different from typically feminine image

Posters used in Germany German Campaign in Wanted: manager for the division ‘redskin tales’

Flemish Community of Belgium Results of Campaign: Under threes: nurseries: 2002: 12 men / 3417/0.35% Until now no effect Family day carers:2002: 5 men / 7.409/0.07% 2004: 44 men/ 0.59% School children ( years) After-school clubs : 2002:35men / 907 /3.87% 2004: 51/ 5.62% Number of men in training from 6.5% to 20% dropped back after campaaign stopped to 10%

Posters used in Germany German Campaign in Wanted: accountant Knowledge of figures not required