Report Nursery Nurses wages?????

Original Post

by: Happygirl

I am a nursery owner and I do feel bad that I can only pay what are relatively low wages. However, I am not a greedy employer, and I think you will find most small nursery owners aren't either. In fact in the last 3 years since owning the nursery I have taken home less than my lowest paid employee. I actually have to work in an office to supplement my wages part of the week.

The cost of running a nursery is huge. I understand that it looks like we bring in shed loads of money, but by the time I have paid out staff wages, rent, rates, tax, part funded those children who only do 5 x 2.5 hour sessions (which means we run at a loss in the pre-school room), resources etc., etc., the profit is very small indeed.

I know my staff work hard and care for the children, but if you think it is easy running a nursery you would be wrong. The amount of paperwork that has to be kept up to date, meetings with Ofsted, Early Years Workers, dealing with staffing issues, the stress of ensuring we get enough children coming through the door and they and their parents are always happy. Plus one of our biggest problems is those parents who give you a sob story and then leave owing you money.

If you love working with children but want to earn good money, there is only one real way. Work and study. If you do a Foundation Degree you have the chance to end up a Manager or go on to do a full degree and progress to be a teacher. It's like any career, start at the bottom and work your way up!! Sorry to sound harsh but these days the only way to make decent money is to get yourself well qualified in whatever career you want to take.

And lastly, I promise you the only way any nursery provider can pay you a 'decent' wage is by making the childcare fees astronomical for parents - which would mean basically no parents, no job.

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