To ask how I get out of childcare for better pay?

[Changeusern8me]

I'm a qualified level 3 practioner but as I've gotten older I'm realising that childcare is relentlessly long hours for poor pay and little to no recognition. I have a grand saved up to retrain but I don't want to get trapped in a similar role of long hours and poor pay. I'm 35 and started working in childcare at 16 so feel like I've been in childcare long enough to know i need a change. AIBU to think that I can retrain and get my career changed so I can build a better future for my children? AIBU to think that I can retrain for around £1,000 and start anew? Ideas? Stories? TIA.

Look for community nursery nurse jobs with health visitor teams….Monday to Friday ….it’s band 4 so around 27k? ….once you are in the nhs it’s easier to progress to other roles

If you don’t already have a degree you should do open university and get one. Social work might be a good option.

Do you still enjoy working with children? You could make much more as a private nanny.

Following as I’m in the same boat! Have worked in childcare since I was 16 (also 35 now) though doing mainly nannying which allowed me to travel whilst working. Since having my son I’ve moved into care work which works brilliantly for now as even though it’s still pretty much MW I do a couple of 24 hr shifts a week and spend the rest of the time with my ds, not needing to pay out for childcare. I’ve loved what I’ve done so far and it’s worked great for each point of my life, but long term I want to do something else, with better pay, but I’ve no idea where to start or what to study. Preferably would prefer not to do a whole degree.

Hi. Have you considered becoming an Early Years Assessor. You can do a CAVA qualification and perhaps a PTLLS too. You would then be qualified to assess diplomas and apprenticeship standards in your subject area. Jobs available full time and freelance.

Assuming you wish to leave childcare, but use the experience?
Do you drive, and are you free to travel?
I am thinking of sales representative, ideally if you have nutritional qualifications, look at pharmaceutical companies, starting with infant nutrition, then seek to move further into pharmaceuticals.
Or perhaps a rep selling early learning toys or children's clothing.
These roles usually provide a car, or car allowance, expenses, and a decent salary.
It's finding your 'in'.
If you are interested could you tell me a little more about what you do day to day?

AIBU to think that I can retrain for around £1,000

Possibly as I’m not sure £1000 would get you very far. Many professions require a degree. Would you be happy to take out student finance-that’s going to be more like tens of thousands though.

Giving some ideas of what you might want to retrain as would be a good starting place?

You'd be better off as a nanny.

NHS, Ofsted, local authorities. Charities that work with children?

I'd suggest going to your local college and seeing what courses they offer.

Early help worker with local authority?

I've never been a nanny so that's interesting. I'm looking for a new challenge but still working with babies, children families.

How much is it to train to be an assessor? I've thought about that a few times.

Our nanny left a nursery to work with us, part time wrap-around initially to fit with her own children, and then went back as a manager of a nursery and is now a regional manager.
Another friend is training as a health visitor.

I make about 45k as a childminder, still long hours etc but so much better than working in a nursery in my opinion.

HCA on a children's wards?
Maternity care assistant

With a view to training as a children's nurse or midwife?

I agree that there is money in childcare IF you get into the niche parts of nannying. Not sure where you are based but obviously Nannies in London usually make a decent salary, in all cases working for HNW or UHNW families is usually where the money is at in childcare.

Albeit you would be sacrificing lots of hours of your life for a bigger salary (I make 6 figures for example) without necessarily a lot more recognition (it’s all family dependent as you might know, some are lovely and make you feel appreciated, others do not.) so I would only recommend if that’s the kind of lifestyle you would enjoy.

Nothing wrong with doing something else, I am actually working on my exit in the next 3 years as I need a break from the industry also, so no tips as of yet but wishing you the best either way.

I already wanted to get out when I started working for affluent families but I am glad I did, in the few years I have gone from working for minimum wage to high-paid positions I have been able to reach a lot of financial goals which has ironically also made leaving the industry a lot easier and me having only worked in childcare a lot less relevant. So could be a good transition out for you, also.

www.healthcareers.nhs.uk/explore-roles/wider-healthcare-team/roles-wider-healthcare-team/corporate-services/health-play-staff/health-play-staff

If you are open to working directly with families as well as children, have a look at family support worker roles or similar with the Local Authority and / or voluntary sector. Your could use your existing qualifications and better pay, developmental opportunities.

Don't get yourself into debt by doing a degree. Not necessary to get a decent job.

I'm the same age as you @Changeusern8me

I left childcare soon after getting my level 3 when a family at the nursery I was working at asked me to be their nanny - I then nannied for 7/8 years for various families - I then started my social work degree (I'm half way through) and love it!

I've seen you can do social work apprenticeships- but this wasn't something I wanted to do.

I also looked into nursery nurses with health visitors / working alongside children's centres (I did this for a while - it was half the hours for the same pay in a nursery lol)

Appreciate it might not be what you're looking for, but with that experience you could get a job in a local authority as a family support worker. And once you're in, you may be in a position to do an apprenticeship in social work after a year or so- which means being paid to train, and having fees paid for you. More and more authorities are offering social work apprenticeships to staff due to shortages of qualified staff.
Social work isnt an easy job but having come from the care sector myself, a tough job for 40k feels better than working two difficult jobs on minimum wage! I've gone part time for a better work life balance and still earn more than what I did before qualifying. You also don't have to stay in frontline social work if you don't want to, it opens up doors to other roles by having a degree (eg I have friends who moved into CAMHS, managing children's homes or charity sector)