Parents objecting to male nursery staff changing nappies

[popehilarious]

www.nurseryworld.co.uk/nursery-world/news/1168681/parents-uncomfortable-with-male-practitioners-changing-their-childs-nappy

Hope the clicky link works.
The male staff are usually the key workers who would normally change nappies but some parents object.

I'm not a safeguarding expert but presumably the same rules and policies apply to both sexes of staff? How can a nursery as an employer discriminate duties on the basis of sex, or would this fall under the exemptions (ie asking for same-sex person to do intimate care) where the child is female? I'm a bit muddled about this.

My son had male nursery key workers who were great role models.

Sexual abuse really properly messes people up though. And it's unforgivable.

It's a tough one. I am conflicted. I feel it would be better if there were more men working in childcare. But actually there are very few.

And then I do wonder given how few men are interested in childcare and how poor the pay is what the motivation is for the few that do it. Hopefully just that they enjoy working with children. But given the prevalence of men looking at abuse images I do worry.

Generally I think in a group working context like a nursery with proper safeguarding all should be well.

But I have always avoided male babysitters and music tutors to work in my home in an attempt at risk reduction.

And then I do wonder...what the motivation is for the few that do it.

It's varied. From cooking to gardening. First aid to teaching mathematics. Singing to cuddling babies.
It's fun. Children are pretty unpredictable, super imaginative, and love to laugh.
It's worthwhile and rewarding. I managed to persuade a child to crawl for the first time yesterday, and stopped several babies from being upset.
You get to work in some good teams of lovely people (And a few other types of people), working as a family.
That's why I do it anyway.

Sexual abuse really properly messes people up though.

Unlike physical or emotional abuse?

Anyway...
As more men get involved in child care for their children and their own sons witness fathers parenting, surely men caring for children becomes more acceptable and more (not paedophile) men are likely to find that people accept them as carers and consider a job or career in child care. But not if the good ones are pushed away for fears of not very likely events even despite safeguards being in place.

I don't think its a good idea for men to be child care workers, but it shouldn't be banned, individual centres should have the right to exclude men if they wish.

@Scott72 why don't you think it's good for men?

Sorry but I think there are far too many double standards here. Imagine the uproar if men were campaigning that women can't do a certain job (not because she isn't physically capable) but because they worry she just wouldn't be fit for purpose? There would be uproar.

I appreciate usually it's men that are paedophiles but as a percentage of all men it is still very low.

Haven't RTFT but I'm glad the article says the advice is, if a parent doesn't like a male staff, that the parent should be told that's not ok

individual centres should have the right to exclude men if they wish.

Why?
Imagine the same for women, black, Asian, gay...
By all means run background checks, and psychological evaluations for all.
But excluding men is not acceptable.

Imagine the uproar if men were campaigning that women can't do a certain job (not because she isn't physically capable) but because they worry she just wouldn't be fit for purpose?

Yes. Because women are too emotional to be airline pilots and therefore a danger.

This is a very odd thread.
Parental choice - either the business ( nursery) accommodates parental choices regarding the sex of carers or parents choose to go elsewhere. Simples.

As for telling parents it’s not ok to reject male carers for their children- good luck with that little gem 😂

Well are there statistics to support that women are dangerous around aeroplane passengers? Or that women are more dangerous as pilots? No didn’t think so.

It would appear that many feminists don't want equailty.

Actually, the reverse. Male pilots have actually crashed planes on purpose. But nobody bats an eyelid about having a male pilot.
Male violence is everywhere. Male sports coaches are also a risk for sex abuse and safeguarding is more difficult because children are older and more independent.
Same for doctors.
But people only defend keeping men out of nurseries.
Please explain.

Parental choice - either the business ( nursery) accommodates parental choices regarding the sex of carers or parents choose to go elsewhere

Nurseries run a business and can't discriminate based on sex if they have male candidates.

What a silly place to argue about equality - changing babies nappies in a nursery
This is about parental choice. Very few will succumb to cries of ‘ that’s not fair ‘ , ‘you’re being a meanie ‘ when it comes to assessing risks for their child.

Well are there statistics to support that women are dangerous around aeroplane passengers? Or that women are more dangerous as pilots? No didn’t think so.

Ok so here's another example - as the majority of suicide bombers are Muslim how about Muslims can no longer fly on commercial flights - how does that sound to you?

Yes, fucking ridiculous. Because it is.

Whilst some suicide bombers might be Muslim it is still a very low percentage of the Muslim community as a whole.

You're generalisation of men is the reason why there is sexism, Racism, homophobic bullshit in our society.

Listen to yourselves.

It is about equality because the female staff will have to do it instead. I can't think any staff will be fighting to have nappy duty in nurseries.
So, once again, women are left with the undesirable jobs.

But people are even arguing that men shouldn't work in nurseries.

Or how about women shouldn't be allowed to be driving instructors because statistically we get more involved with car accident because we are 'shit' drivers.

I'm actually quite shocked about this thread and this is how people on society think - and it's the same people probably campaigning for equal rights.

Totally shocked.

Every man is a paedophile or has tendencies is basically what some posters are saying. Wow.

I feel sorry for your sons if you have them. The generalisations they're going to face is going to be absurd.

Nurseries run a business and can't discriminate based on sex if they have male candidates.

What does that have to do with telling parents who object, that they’re wrong to not want male carers?
Parents will simply seek out the nursery and staff that align with their choices.

When I was a young nurse in the 70's, male nursing was just starting. You'd be horrified to hear of what people said about the male nursing students - that they'd molest the female patients, that they should only be allowed to work in male wards ( yes they had segregated wards then) and that they must be deviates and /or just weird to want to do a "woman's job".

So no I'm not surprised that this kind of thing is happening in child care. Different era, same crazy ideas.

You're generalisation of men is the reason why there is sexism, Racism, homophobic bullshit in our society

😂🤣😂

What does that have to do with telling parents who object, that they’re wrong to not want male carers?
Erm... everything.
Because legally the nursery can't discriminate. So, parents will have to find a nursery that happens to only have female carers. If they can.

Ime, there aren't those many nurseries around and it's not that easy to find a place anyway. Can't think that a good nursery will go bankrupt for not catering for a few sexist patents.

*So, parents will have to find a nursery that happens to only have female carers. If they can.
Can't think that a good nursery will go bankrupt for not catering for a few sexist patents.

You seem to enjoy peddling twaddle. No one has mentioned going bankrupt apart from you.
Male nursery nurses are few and far between not because of sexism but rubbish pay ( the rubbish pay is sexism though ).

Lots of girls are abused by their own Dads. Should Dads not be changing nappies? Where is the line drawn?

Lots of girls are abused by their own Dads. Should Dads not be changing nappies? Where is the line drawn?

Exactly!!! I think those posters campaigning for no male workers at nursery's should seriously think about this point.