True, pay has risen significantly in that time, as our special pull-out with this week's magazine shows. But despite the introduction of the national minimum wage and the recruitment crisis caused by the rapid expansion of private and state childcare facilities, the average salary of a nursery nurse in the private sector is only 10,698 - still terribly low for such a responsible and vitally important job.
It's hard to see how the situation can be rectified, although pay is likely to rise substantially again this year as new minimum wage rates come in.
Some private providers could really be hit as parents struggle to pay higher fees.
There are, however, encouraging findings from the survey, with the great majority of respondents keen to stay in the childcare sector, and many of the younger generation wanting to increase their qualifications and progress to more senior positions.
The survey provides a fascinating picture of employment in the early years sector. The challenge to the Government and employers is how to improve salaries without jeopardising sustainability.
