To ask about your experience with male nursery staff

This!

My son works with young children. He's wonderful with them and all the kids and parents love him. He's been offered nannying roles before but always declined because he doesn't want to be alone with children to protect himself. Some of the mindsets in this thread show why that is a sensible decision. I'm actually quite glad he is getting out of teaching and into a different career. I always worry about him experiencing bias as a male but he's never actually experienced it. Most people are very positive.

No-one in any childcare setting should be able to be alone with a child anyway. To protect both the child and the workers.

Well I’m assuming a stepdad isn’t a stranger since he and mother are in a relationship. A nursery worker is someone who works with children in a professional setting. Not the same thing at all.

For all the posters who would have a problem with a male member of staff in a nursery, how would you feel if your son wanted to work with young children? Wouid you automatically decide he must be a sexual deviant and a risk to children?

I haven’t read the report on the Australian case but I would be asking how could that happen? With so many children potentially involved how did no-one see anything untoward.

How many of these posters have brought a stepdad into their child’s lives. Probably a much greater risk than a nursery worker

Disgusting. The issue is men here.

My son had a male worker at a creche he used to go to. The kids absolutely loved him, and he loved the kids and seemed to really love his job. I remember walking in and seeing him, and getting suspicious as to why a young guy would do this as a career. I checked myself and gave myself a figurative slap on the wrist for being so judgemental.

A few months later he was arrested and jailed for raping young boys in his care.
So, I'm no longer so ok with males in childcare.

And the current case in Melbourne is horrific. 1200 kids to be tested for infectious diseases. WTF. Imagine taking your precious baby to be tested for fucking STI's.

Well done for clocking on.

Men raping and abusing children. What a shock.

Well known fact have no evidence base and something being “reported” again does not mean fact. Unless you have actual evidence I suggest you don’t post misinformation.

Its a very depressing thing to look into
But the data here might provide you all some interesting thoughts
https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/crimeandjustice/articles/abuseduringchildhood/findingsfromtheyearendingmarch2016crimesurveyforenglandandwales#survivor-and-perpetrator-relationship-by-abuse-category

Notably... BOYS are more likely to be abused by a teacher etc that a girl. But many were worried mostly by their daughters being changed by a man than their sons

100% of rapes happen by men because UK law states Rape involves a penis.

Outside of more tricky discussions regarding trans ... that means only men can commit rape

The second one is a well known fact

The first one has been reported on in threads before.

My son's nursery has a male staff member. I was hesitant until I met him. He's brilliant. Also gives a good role model for the boys too. They love him

Not sexist at all to have them views. 100% of rapes are committed by men. Less than 5% of SA are committed by women.

My 18 month old has a male nursery worker and absolutely adores him. Runs over to him when dropped off with a massive grin on his face, and he's also the only nursery worker he hands his favourite stuffed animal to for safe keeping 😅. He's great with all the kids.

Need to back up with evidence. Any fool can claim false information as fact.

Sexism. It’s really toxic isn’t it. The people that do it are just as toxic themselves.

Women are statistically more likely to physically harm or kill a child

The men most likely to sexually abuse a child are those related to said child

Can't quite believe the level of toxicity in this thread! Shocking.
I'm not gay - I looked after kids, changed their nappies, boys and girls and did nothing but care for them. In the 1980s.
My father (also not gay) did the same in the 1960s.
I raised three children as a single dad, 2 of them girls, and they're all happy, well-rounded modern youngsters with a healthy outlook on life.
I understand the statistics and the basis for worry, of course I do, but the level of automatic distrust based on a carer being male is really shocking to read.
You know, if I said "all women who do X must be (insult)" I'd quite rightly be pilloried for it.
Please, let's have a little more humanity.

I personally wouldn’t be keen on it. I’ll get blasted for being sexist but I just wouldn’t want risk my young child with an unknown man for extended periods of time without me.

Settings for children are honey pots for weirdos and with men being much more likely to commit sexual crimes, it’s just not something id feel comfortable with. No judgement on those that do though as I realise the risks are slim, it’s just not one I’m prepared to take.

Do you have any data to back that up?

Sorry, it's not meant to be a laugh or a dickhead response, simply an enthusiastic cheery smile 👍 I wasn't trying to be argumentative.

My son's key worker was a man when he started at his nursery. Key worker was great, we liked him, but my son didn't vibe with him at all. Key worker is quite a jolly-bonhomie type with a gruff voice and my son just hated that approach and never bonded. He was moved to a different key worker (who happens to be a woman) and is much much happier. However, his male former key worker is one of the most popular staff members and the majority of the kids, girls included, absolutely adore him and are forever hanging off him. So overall I think it's about personality and whether they mesh than about gender. I would ask the nursery for an outline of how they resolve situations where a child doesn't get on with their key worker and see what they say, but go in with an open mind because your daughter might love him.

In Scandinavian countries a significant proportion of early years workers are male, and yet they don't have higher rates of abuse.

Obviously we are all anxious about our children's safety, but I think some people on this thread are over-reacting.

😆