Working in nurseries.

[Ilovegreentomatoes]

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.

Turnover at DD’s nursery is very low. Honestly I don’t know the pay but it’s a university owned company and I know the staff are on university ts & cs so good pension scheme, 6 months full pay for maternity leave (which I’m hugely jealous of!) and probably good redundancy terms too.

Interesting. The turnover of staff in my DC’s nursery is really high which I admit does concern me (although a few staff seem to have been there years).
I wonder if there’s something going on behind the scenes, or whether young people come in and do the job for a bit then leave when they realise they can earn more shuffling paper in an office 9-5.

I also work in a nursery, but I can cope with the shit pay because of dh's wages. I work in a school nursery though so at least it's term time only.

But yes the pay is terrible for the level of responsibility, and I'm also going to say what we have to put up with from some (not all) rude entitled parents. You even see it on this forum sometimes, the shocking attitude towards nursery staff. The "I'm paying your wages so do as I say" mentality.

I didn't return to my nursery job after maternity leave because they were inflexible when I enquired about part time working. The offered 4.5 days a week rather than 5.
We only got 20 days of leave plus bank hols. My previous (non nursery jobs) had been at least 25 days.
The management were crap and bullies.
The atmosphere could sometimes be bitchy.
It also got me down having parents being really rude and demanding, often for no reason. Or just speak down to you.

Yes agree with the parents bit.The entitlement from some is shocking.Also the amount of parents who will send sick children in and are clearly upset/angry when you call them to pick them up.

@MissyB1 I make sure to thank the nursery staff each day & do send in gifts each time DC move rooms / Christmas etc

@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

When I left Tesco in May this year I was on £9.30 an hour, nights were on about £9.80 an hour (i think)

I don't really like other people's kids so definitely wouldn't work in a nursery 😂

Pay is definitely an issue for level of responsibilty, same as nurses in NHS for example.

The pay is absolutely disgusting - that is the reason.

A lot of youngsters we've employed have enjoyed the job and would have liked to stay in childcare but moved on so they can have career progression and better pay in other professions, which is a shame as some of them have been brilliant in the role.

I've done my L5 and I'm a deputy but there is little more progression I can make at my current nursery and my pay isn't much higher than for the staff with less responsibility. Many of my colleagues have been at the nursery for a long time but most of that is due to the fact we are a comfortable team and we all get on well and the owner does her best by us all. I'm in a position that in a few years my tax credits end and I'll be running a household on only a single low wage and I'm not sure this wage will cover my outgoings so I may have to look at getting a new job.

I thought this was going to be a horticultural thread.

The hours can also be long. For a while I did (and some staff did all the time) four long shifts of 10 hours each rather than 5 days at 8 hours. You were actually there for 10.5 as lunch was unpaid but those few hours at the beginning and end were so draining.

My niece worked in a nursery. 7.30-6pm four days a week and they frequently tried to get her to go in on her day off.

Had to clean nursery at the end of the day - whilst still looking after children. No pay if she had the odd sick day and no flexibility for swapping her day off.

Crap pay, lots of bullying from management. I was delighted when she was poached by one of the parents and now works as a nanny.

Agree with the bitchy atmosphere in some nurseries as well. Some of the ones I worked in were awful.

I work in a nursery
I’m on £10.45 an hour and get 30 days holiday a year, including bank holidays
I’ve worked my way up and have undertaken lots of qualifications along the way and my pay does reflect my qualifications and experience
It is hard work, yes, but very rewarding and I wouldn’t want to do anything else
It’s not always about the money
DH earns 3 times what I do but he hates his job
I do find that lots of people think that working in a nursery will be easy and many don’t last very long

McDonald’s, lidl, Aldi etc all pay more per hour and at least have progression within the companies. Nurseries pay minimum wage and there is virtually no way to move up the ladder for a pay raise

@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

Supermarkets generally pay above minimum wage, are far more flexible with hours (you can work evenings, weekends, school hours etc) and offer in-work benefits like discounts on your shopping.

There's also always the opportunity to progress - supervisor jobs, section leaders and eventually into management if that's what you want to do. You don't need any qualifications for this, either.

The pay, I get it has to be low enough for the prices to be kept low so people can afford to send their kids but if people want trained staff who are happy to be there and look after children well then they have to be willing to pay higher prices and higher wages.

I’m currently considering moving my DC to a nursery attached to a (private) primary school. Is the staff pay there likely to be better than in a large chain day nursery?

It's shockingly underpaid for the job just like carers are. I'm not a nursery worker but my toddler goes to a nursery and the staff are amazing.

If it's any consolation, as a parent, I really appreciate the work you do. I'm very grateful.

Low pay, it's hard work, too much ridiculous paperwork and troublesome parents.

I don’t understand why nurseries charge the parents so much but pay the staff so little. They then say the 30 hour money isn’t enough, but why when the staff are paid so little? Parents pay for bank holidays etc when the nursery is closed.

The pay can be poor! I work for a chain nursery..level 3..love the staff,love the children,love the job but the pay is hilarious.. 11p above minimum wage. Woo lol. I think sometimes you're expected to do a lot for little apprication and thanks. The paper work can also be ridiculous but hopefully with the new EYFS coming in that will change. We do have lovely parents who have been so thankful especially given this past year or so least there is that

@WhiskersPete
Thank you, that’s nice to hear
Luckily, the parents where I work are all lovely and I do feel appreciated by them
My company only pay minimum wage to unqualified staff and everyone gets a pay rise every year
We also have plenty of opportunities for career progression so it’s not all doom and gloom

I don’t understand why nurseries charge the parents so much but pay the staff so little

Because the private equity firms that own the big ones want to make a big profit