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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Working in nurseries.

255 replies

Ilovegreentomatoes · 19/06/2021 16:50

I work in a nursery. We are permanently understaffed and can never seem to encourage applicants.I notice this is a common theme among nurseries struggling to recruit staff. So out of interest just wanted to know what would put people of working in a nursery? Yes pay is normally minimum wage could it be that? Or working with children in general? Just interested to hear opinions.

OP posts:
BarbiesWorld · 19/06/2021 16:55

I left because of the pay and lack of progression as did everyone else I know. Left as the deputy manager but was still only earning 50p above minimum wage. When I got an office job as admin I was earning the same as the manager of the nursery I'd jist left. For a hell of a lot less stress and responsibility.

Original poster
Ilovegreentomatoes · 19/06/2021 16:56

Yes its definitely underpaid as a profession for the responsibility we have.

OP posts:
MildredPuppy · 19/06/2021 16:57

Id havd quite like to work at a nursery a few years back but yes the pay was big factor combined with the hours which tend to be quite long.

NannyR · 19/06/2021 16:57

I work as a nanny and would really love to work in a nursery for lots of reasons, but it purely comes down to finances - I live on my own so one salary has to pay for all my bills, mortgage, living expenses - the pay that nurseries local to me are offering just doesn't cover it.

BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz · 19/06/2021 16:59

The low pay. If your business relies on Agencies to fill gaps, just employ someone direct on the same pay as you would give the agency.

Offer qualifications paid for with day release for training.

Offer more than the minimum annual leave.

To do all the above is impossible though on the amount received from the govt for funded hours and the price point nurseries have to sell their hours at.

shivawn · 19/06/2021 17:00

Pay is normally minimum wage could it be that? Or working with children in general?

Both of these would put me off.

RainyDay2020 · 19/06/2021 17:01

I’ve seen several jobs advertised in local nurseries and the salary is poor. I would’ve applied but couldn’t afford to halve my salary and was just an admin person at the time.

TrashKitten10 · 19/06/2021 17:01

It's got to be a lot to do with pay. I'm a school nursery teacher with QTS. I love working with children but it's exhausting and a huge amount of responsibility and frankly I wouldn't do it for NMW. Cleaning jobs pay more and in a cleaning job you're not expected to manage big groups of children, many with complex needs or safeguarding concerns and all of the associated mountains of paperwork to do in your own time. I take my hats off to nursery workers for doing so much for so little.

Howshouldibehave · 19/06/2021 17:02

@Ilovegreentomatoes

Yes its definitely underpaid as a profession for the responsibility we have.
The pay is what probably puts most people off. It’s not really a ‘profession’ either-there is no real way to progress your career.

Schools never seem to have difficulties hiring TAs though which is a similar pay. They are so popular as they have term time hours/days. What hours are you offering?

cupsofcoffee · 19/06/2021 17:03

Pay and poor working conditions.

Crowtooyo · 19/06/2021 17:07

I wouldn't be able to afford working in a nursery.

Arghlife · 19/06/2021 17:07

It's definitely the pay that stopped me working in a nursery. Went straight to being a nanny after I left college, was earning more than my friends very quickly, pay rises every year. I'm now working in a children's home without the right qualification and I'm earning more than if I worked in a nursery. Definitely the pay.

Aiguablava · 19/06/2021 17:07

I wanted to work in a nursery, had various part time jobs and work experience in childcare settings up until the age of 18 but I came to realise that I needed adult conversation. I didn't want to be surrounded by children all day to then have to go home and take care of my own, I think I need a bit more contact with adults than that.

LemonSherbetFancies · 19/06/2021 17:09

It is a profession Hmm

My niece and a few others I know are childcare trained but I know the very long hours, low pay etc have put them off. Most are nannies, childminders or work in schools. I've worked with children also in my life and still do the odd childcare job but couldn't afford to work at a nursery. The pay really is dismal which is why I do other work now. Childcare is not valued how it should be.

Thefaceofboe · 19/06/2021 17:10

I also work in a nursery. Hard work and long days, with shit pay and 0 recognition Smile

Original poster
Ilovegreentomatoes · 19/06/2021 17:10

Yes mainly down to pay which I'm not surprised at although saying that what do supermarkets offer in pay? I've heard its quite hard to get a job in one despite I would guess pay being similar

OP posts:
Ellpellwood · 19/06/2021 17:11

@Aiguablava

I wanted to work in a nursery, had various part time jobs and work experience in childcare settings up until the age of 18 but I came to realise that I needed adult conversation. I didn't want to be surrounded by children all day to then have to go home and take care of my own, I think I need a bit more contact with adults than that.
This is part of it - though it's mainly the pay. The staff at DS's nursery are nearly all either under 30 or over 50 and have no school-age children at home as they don't want double duty.

My cousin left childcare to do care in people's homes and earns more even though care is notoriously low pay.

Original poster
Ilovegreentomatoes · 19/06/2021 17:12

And yes it is a profession.These kind of attitudes are half the problem.

OP posts:
susiebluebell · 19/06/2021 17:13

I have worked as a nanny and as a TA and didn't go for nursery work because of the long hours for minimum pay and no progression. I earned more working part-time as a private nanny.

TAs are always needed, but where I worked that was due to enormous turnover because the pay was just above minimum, and again there was little opportunity to naturally progress up. Some TAs went away to do a teaching qualification and came back though.

susiebluebell · 19/06/2021 17:13

Also low status, I would say!

LadyCatStark · 19/06/2021 17:13

100% the pay especially for the level of responsibility expected.

Ellpellwood · 19/06/2021 17:14

@Ilovegreentomatoes

Yes mainly down to pay which I'm not surprised at although saying that what do supermarkets offer in pay? I've heard its quite hard to get a job in one despite I would guess pay being similar
A lot of people work in supermarkets because they don't want 8-6 5 days a week. I worked a 4-8 shift as a student.
Zorinindustries · 19/06/2021 17:15

It's not only the minimum wage, its the fact that many places need you to have a level 3 qualification and still pay minimum wage.

MildredPuppy · 19/06/2021 17:15

Supermarkets tend to be good employers. When i last looked they were paying about £2 more an hour than nursery workers in my town.

nbee84 · 19/06/2021 17:15

Definitely the pay. I'm a nanny and earn nearly double the wage I would get in a nursery setting.

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