To think male nursery workers should be banned for safety reasons?

[Carla786]

I KNOW most men who work in them are fine but sexual abuse in nurseries is overwhelmingly committed by men. No more men, much less abuse risk.
Yes we need more CCTV etc to watch bad women but it cuts SA risk immeasurably.

We can still have male primary teachers etc kids are old enough to speak up then.

And yes, you can ban on the basis of sex for safety reasons. In women's refuges, eg.

Exactly

I’m 100% with Sirzy. So no to the OP.

What I do feel is that we are going to have to interrogate childcare. And I’m not comfortable saying that. But rn I would offer to look after up to 2 preverbal grandchildren just to keep them out of childcare.

And pre school? And nursery? And infant school? And primary school?

Where does it end?

Correct.

A very easy way to reduce risk of sexual abuse of children in early years settings is to only allow women (not including the male variety) to work with children of that age in that setting. Men who are sexually interested in children are going to apply for roles where they are able to carry that out very easily.

Excellent safeguarding would mean no adult had an opportunity to harm children. I want to see prison sentences for nursery managers who allow poor safeguarding practices. That might concentrate a few minds.

Yea it’s the wrong way to go

there are lots of incidence of women abusing in childcare - someone pulled up about 3 in last year

They don't have just as much opportunity as family members. If the nursery has the right policies and procedures in place, no-one is left alone with a child.

I think all paid carers of very young children should be female.
Excluding a very small proportion of the potential nursery workforce, to exclude a very high proportion of abusers, is worth it.

Problem with only changing child in line of sight of another adult is the children being changed have no privacy (as realistically early years settings can’t afford to have enough staff for two to go out of the main room to change them). That’s not right either - and would mean having to ban parents from ever entering the room which is itself a risk and as a parent I’d be wondering what they were trying to hide.

Male workers generally are great in early years - at least in my experience and banning them would send the wrong message.

In every case I can recall being reported in news, lack of safeguarding was the issue -particularly in it going on for a long period- in that people didn’t report suspicions or there were unsafe practices (eg iPad should never be taken to changing room, phones banned, references need to be followed up)

Exactly. All hell would break loose.

There should be a risk base assessment- opportunity, age of children.

Yes

You've got that completely the wrong way round. Nursery workers aren't left alone with young children. Safeguarding rules would not allow that. Much more likely that a male relative would be left alone with a child.

Yes, primary school teachers do not do intimate care.

When I say relatives, I guess I'm thinking uncles, grandfathers etc. Yes, a child might be left alone with them, but you have more control.

You have much less control over male nursery workers.

We're talking about SA. You can cut that out mostly by banning men at least. Physical & emotional still need tackling.

We can legally restrict institutions, we cannot legally interfere in private life.

False equivalent.

Female childcare workers need higher pay, training and respect.

Some TA's will.

Nobody is saying all male carers and teachers are a risk. But its pointless to deny they don't ask an overall group pose more risk.
Have a look at child care worker Joshua Dale Brown facing 156 charges including rape, producing and transmitting child abuse material, sexual assault, beastiality, and giving contaminated milk given to an infant. Over 2000 children that attended childcares he worked at had to be tested for STIs - so maybe put yourself in the position of the parents of those 2000 children before you call people small minded for wanting to protect children from sick and disturbing individuals such as this man.

A question to those who say YABU :

Would you have any issues with choosing a male babysitter for a baby or young toddler? Why or why not?

Why? For SEN children? In other cases, surely intimate care should not be needed.

Horrific. People would often think differently I think if they read these cases properly.

It’s on a par

wrong message to ban men - really important not to send this message that only women can look after children - puts us back in the dark ages

people need to pay what it costs so that safeguarding can be followed - and not whinge about it!!!