So according to Shona Sibury, staff in nurseries are:

[JakeBullet]

.....wait for it.....

"overweight 18 year old girls who doubtless had some NVQ in Boston wiping or whatever".

From the DM naturally....by a "journalist" totting up the amount she gas spent on childcare. She is equally offensive about au-pairs.

I am not employed in any capacity as a child carer but I was utterly pissed off on behalf of all the fab carers my DS has had in his time.

Stupid obnoxious bloody woman.

Obviously meant " bottom wiping". Bloody predictive text!

This woman writes about anything for money. She is desperate for the cash, uncomfortable in her own skin and would like to live a life she can not afford.

I'm a childminder and I am getting heartily sick and tired at the constant bashing we are receiving about costs of childcare.

Especially when all of my parents have had better holidays than me this year, dress a damn sight better than me, drive better cars than me, their kids have nothing but good organic foods and beautiful clothes. (Admittedly only 1 of my parents has complained about the costs, but she is also self-employed so understands the in's and out's)

I don't know anyone who at our level (not the owners of the nurseries) who are rolling in it. Why hasn't there been a balanced view on the cost of providing childcare? The rising cost of food and fuel is insane and the constant push to raise standards, which is good, but doesn't come cheap. If they want everyone to be fully degree educated to look after children then surely they must understand they will not work for minimum wage.

Rant over... For now

Can you link the article please? I need some amusement.

That comment doesn't reflect the reality of the nursery DS is in at all. However, it is a little shabby, old toys, no extras...but mature, caring staff who know the kids well. I have seen a tendency for people to pick nurseries based on the facilities, extra classes, trips and meals and then be surprised that their fees only stretch so far and these places are staffed by young girls with little experience.

At one of the nurseries I worked in, that is an accurate description of about 90% of the staff. I was 18 and unqualified myself (I wasn't fat though).

Not all nurseries are like that of course, but she's not a million miles from the truth either.

In general, childcare is low paid work, and does not require a high level of education. So it is dominated by younger workers, with nvqs, and by women. But it's rude to call them fat, that's a generalisation. And it's rude to be derogatory about what is a perfectly good career.

Actually I realized later that Shone Sibury specialises in writing provocative crap. She was moaning the other day about listing child benefit because she and her hubby bring in £7k a month.

I am assuming that most of that is his contribution as she surely cannot earn much from such under researched drivel.

At the nursery we use the staff are:
Professional, caring and dedicated people who never cease to go above and beyond their job description.

Yes RosieGirl...the bashing is getting to me too but, as said in the other post 'Just resigned' lets hold on and fight back
Where is this article...please put link here I too need to be amused by someone's prejudice...up to a point!

Actually, I'm a 30 year old mother of three, with BA (Hons) in Education (Early Childhood Studies). That's in addition to the NVQ Level 3 Early Years Care and Education, the Level 3 Diploma in Early Years Practice, and the Foundation Degree in Early Years Childcare and Education.

So fuck off Shona Sibury

Do you know why would it matter if the nursery staff where "overweight" (according to what measure) or 18? Seems a bizarre thing to base the aptitude or intelligence of someone.

"Because no matter how much money comes in or goes out again on childcare, I will always feel a tinge of guilt that the job I?ve chosen to do will never be the most important job in the world."

www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2228436/Shona-Sibary--108-345--staggering-sum-Ive-spent-nurseries-string-useless-au-pairs.html#ixzz2BSEb0qQ8

My thoughts exactly, love

Ah- the rentagob from the Daily Mail. Perhaps she could do with an NVQ in childcare. It might tell her that splashing pictures of her kids over the Daily Mail every other week is probably not a good thing.

She's desperate for attention, every few days there is a 'shocking' story about her and her kids watching tv as a babysitter and how much money she earns. Silly strange woman.

What a load of non sense and IMO if the childcare was that bad then poor kids having such a useless Mother at researching good nurseries and checking references of au pairs. Oh and nobody forced her to have 4 children surely she was naive at the cost of childcare.
[going to start new thread toilet v loo]

I can't believe this women, I started working in a nursery at the age of 17 and started my Diploma in Pre-school Practise, a couple of months into the course I became very ill and had to keep going with the course and obviously found it very hard. I also had quite a few friends who were doing the same course and they all ended up quitting because they found it too hard. Does she really think we choose this job because of the money, we don't.

Sorry, rant over!

Most nursery workers probably have more qualifications than she does.

...the bit where she says that childcare for her 4 children has bled her dry.......nobody forced you to have 4 bloody kids love!!!!
...and the complaints about au pairs..with respect to au pairs who are fab at their jobs...if you are going to employ young,inexperienced foreign girls then you are not going to get supernanny
....if she adds up what she spends on shoes and handbags its probably about the same as the childcare bills!!!!
...makes me so mad!!!

She IS Polly Filler isn't she? I think Private Eye should be told.

I actually think she knows exactly what she's saying and what buttons to press. From a linguistic pint of view it's quite clever and she'll have a lot of people nodding along with her who have also chosen the economy option for childcare - nurseries who can't afford to pay decent rates so most of the staff are under 21 and au pairs who aren't professional childcarers.

I doubt she would moan if she felt she'd paid for good quality care.

Well said Fraktion...she uses the right language and I can see people nodding as you say...