Childcare is not a dumping ground for the unemployable

[UnsolvedMysteriesRobertStack]

AIBU to feel frustrated with the new staff in childcare?

I don’t want to sound harsh, but I’m seeing more and more new staff who are simply not suited for childcare, and I’m wondering if they're being sent here because the job centre is forcing them into work. I'm talking about staff with complex ASD needs, and some who haven’t worked since their early 20s but are now being placed into jobs. There are staff who can't read or write, and they expect to just sit or tidy up all day. My colleagues and I are picking up the slack, feeling understaffed, and having to tiptoe around these situations. It’s never been this bad before.

Some staff won’t touch certain fruits due to sensory issues, can’t read a book, can’t communicate effectively, can’t lift, can’t change nappies, and struggle to talk to parents. And they’re all getting paid the same as the rest of us. I’m just wondering where these people are coming from, as it feels like there’s no industry standard anymore. It makes me feel like my qualifications and experience are being devalued. We’ve been patient, but the burden feels heavier each day.

To be honest this hasn’t been my
experience. I’ve used two nurseries/pre schools (in south west). Both had amazing staff, really knowledgeable. I very much doubt any of them were academic high fliers but who cares when they’re looking after 3 year olds. They were kind, caring and easy to speak to. I suspect they were on very low salaries which I feel is unfair. They worked really hard.

Well you can go onto the government website and lodge your objections to the proposed benefits changes that way they can stay on benefits and you can get proper staff

She sounds lovely. Not. Tell her to stop being a snob towards people who work in these places.

@ffsfindmeausername McDonald's are actually one of the best for mums who needs a flexible job. Not as many teenagers work there now. I suspect with that attitude your DD wouldn't even get a job there.

So people want those with disabilities in work but also not at their place of work 🤔

I’ve worked in education in London for 30 years, and whilst there are some fantastic nursery staff, I agree with the OP that there are lots who are not great.
I think there are 2 main reasons for this.
firstly, the qualification needed has been downgraded. Years ago nursery nurses (as they were called at the time) needed an NNEB qualification. This was a full time 2 years qualification which was focussed on child development and placements and prepared them really well for the workplace. The NVQ levels that came after were not of the same quality and I always felt never gave those that achieved them the same sense of professional pride.
Secondly, the pay and conditions are poor and you can get more money in London with better and more flexible working conditions, and a lot less hassle. Some parents can be very demanding, the constant threat of Ofsted and the financial pressures on nurseries mean many choose jobs like me retail were pay is often better!

A girl in my daughter’s year at school has been extremely disruptive for 4 years of high school, and I know via parents from the primary school she went to was the same throughout primary. She has had multiple suspensions, has a complete aversion to authority or being told what to do, comes in drunk or stoned, fights, threatens people on social media etc. In my day she would have long been expelled but that’s not the way of things these days, particularly in Scotland. She’s leaving school after her Nat 5s (GCSE equivalent) which have just started and is going to college to do a childcare course. HOW?!?

I thought you had to have qualifications to work in childcare? My daughter is going to college in September to do a level 2 qualification, then go on to do a further qualification, she will have a placement 2 days a week in a nursery, are these people doing the same thing as her? Or not even in college?

Having worked in the sector, do you think nurseries are trying to employ the bare minimum of level 3s and fill up with unqualified staff as they are cheaper?

Oh shut up. OP is highlighting a problem with staff that care for children which impacts the care they’re given. Lazy scroungers can still work and do a very poor and damaging job, as she’s saying here. Please don’t imply that people are better on benefits than being given skills and purpose.

Very similar situation Here suppose. Care for the most vulnerable in our country in crisis. The young and the old deserve so much more.

I don’t think @TomatoSandwiches meant it literally!

Exactly

Dont you need a childcare qualification to work in childcare? Like level 2 or level 3 most nurseries round here ask for. So how can they not read?

I dont think not working since their early twenties is the end of the world maybe they had kids. Are they supposed to stay out of work forever?

I have been looking to go back to work after being at home with my children for years. When I look at job adverts for nurseries they always state must have nvq qualifications and prior experience. Are you thinking these nurseries can’t get qualified staff so are just employing anyone? Perhaps I should consider applying!

Yep, very good point!

People complain about unemployment however this is what happens when people are forced into work without proper support - they end up in jobs which are entirely unsuitable.

In this case potentially causing safeguarding issues to vulnerable members of our society (children, the elderly etc).

Is this really what we want?

I have so much respect for the people who work at my child’s nursery. They are caring, proactive and extremely hardworking. But I only interact with certain ones in the room so I suppose some of the others in the room I never talk to could fit this profile.

No, you can become a nursery assistant without a qualification.

If they required qualifications for everyone there would be so few staff the whole system would collapse.

I think some of the staff are working towards the qualification round here.

Then how come every nursery in my town requires a level 2 or level 3 qualification in childcare to work there?

Individual nurseries can do what they like, they are private businesses. It's not a legal requirement and many nurseries don't require it for all staff. Just google it.

My friend’s nursery had an elderly woman who could barely walk and was expected to manage toddlers — it’s just not practical.

Everyone here seems appalled that disabled people are being forced to work, but on every thread about pensions the majority think elderly people should keep working and shouldn’t be claiming pension their state they can still work. So this is what will happen surely? There are many jobs that physically will not be able to be done well in older age. But yet large numbers of people on here think older people should keep working. So, what jobs will be available to older people who cannot do their previous jobs anymore?

I just don’t understand why everyone thinks disabled people should always stay on benefits as there isn’t any suitable work as every job is too complicated or not suitable, but older pension age people should be made to stay in work no matter what.

True its hard getting back into work after a few years out with the kids, you can see why when people are saying "haven't worked since their early twenties" as a reason not to hire someone

No one wants the job.
Its crap pay, very stressful and the increasing task of ofsted standards and the unlimited paperwork is making the job awful.

our local nursery closed down recently because they couldn’t hire enough staff.

I think possibly the public don’t realise how complex childcare is now. We do a lot of the work that other teams once did such as speech and language assessments, EHCP’s, autism awareness, social work, all while being up to date on the newest guidelines on how children learn while jumping through ofsfed hoops. You need to be capable of learning and training and doing the extras as well as dealing with toilet accidents, behavioural issues and just giving children enriching experiences. It isn’t like play group where you did some songs and gave them watered down squash.

With more parents needing to work younger and younger children need care and staff must be capable of keeping them safe and engaged.