Teachers steering men away from childcare

Men are steered away from jobs in childcare by their teachers, according to a study of why 99 per cent of workers in the sector are women.

The report by researchers at the London University's Institute of Education reveals that women see childcare work less as a professional occupation than as a continuation of their family and domestic experiences.

Women students felt the work was something they were "naturally good at", with the majority believing childcare training confirmed their maternal and domestic roles. That "presents some difficulties for men on the courses", researchers found.

The study for the Department for Education and Employment suggests men experience more barriers getting into childcare training and were recommended by their teachers at school to do other kinds of work.

It also finds that many students, both men and women, who train for childcare have been low academic achievers.