Moving beyond 3 percent: Recruiting more men into early years

Drawing on personal experience, research and the Greater Than 3 mentor programme, Robert Harris explores why men remain underrepresented in early childhood. He considers the impact of gender diversity on children, the stigma and gatekeeping men can face, and how mentorship, representation and more inclusive pathways could help create lasting change across the profession.   Read the article here: https://thevoiceofearlychildhood.com/moving-beyond-3-percent-recruiting-more-men-into-early-years/   This episode is in partnership with Male Childcare and Teaching Jobs.   Male Childcare and Teaching Jobs advocate for greater male participation in education and caregiving roles, offering support and guidance to enhance gender inclusion in nurseries and schools.   To find out more visit: https://malechildcareandteachingjobs.co.uk/   Listen to more: If you enjoyed this episode, you might also like to hear more at https://thevoiceofearlychildhood.com/articles/men-in-early-childhood/   Get in touch and share your voice: Do you have thoughts, questions or feedback? Get in touch here! – https://thevoiceofearlychildhood.com/contact/   Episode break down: 00:00 – Introduction to Dan Berman and Robert Harris 01:24 – The benefits of greater male presence in early childhood 03:54 – Male role models, play and challenging gender norms 07:30 – The three per cent figure and barriers within infant care 10:05 – Introducing the Greater Than Three mentor programme 15:06 – Creating intentional pathways into the profession 16:51 – DC Men in ECE and the importance of collective advocacy 20:05 – Racial and cultural representation within the workforce 23:22 – Being a Black male educator: visibility, scrutiny and advocacy 25:07 – Stigma surrounding sexuality and safeguarding 29:10 – Challenging bias in recruitment and hiring 30:18 – Retention, judgement and low pay 31:32 – Children need to see what they can become 32:32 – Building stronger foundations for representation and advocacy 32:55 – Further reading and future conversations 33:41 – Closing reflections   For more episodes and articles visit The Voice of Early Childhood website: https://www.thevoiceofearlychildhood.com