Nursery World - Old enough to know the job better

The Government and media coverage have led us to believe that there is a gross shortage of qualified childcare workers. However, holding an NNEB and having worked with children for about 25 years, I can only conclude that ageism is rife in the employment market. It is not as though my qualification is outdated, because I only qualified in 1998, although I did take a Pre-School Playgroup Association (now the Pre-school Learning Alliance) qualification back in the 1970s. I do not lack experience of working with children - I have done this on a voluntary basis as well as in paid employment. Plus I have had two sons of my own.

It is not as though my qualification is outdated, because I only qualified in 1998, although I did take a Pre-School Playgroup Association (now the Pre-school Learning Alliance) qualification back in the 1970s. I do not lack experience of working with children - I have done this on a voluntary basis as well as in paid employment. Plus I have had two sons of my own.

I feel I still have a lot to offer. I have several years to go before I reach retirement age, but the only position I have secured recently is in a private nursery school, working 15 hours a week for the minimum wage.

Is this all there is after 50, after gaining a wealth of knowledge and experience? I could really do with a living wage right now, because a year ago my husband was made redundant, due to the difficulties in the information technology industry. So he too has faced problems gaining employment, presumably because he is considered too old. Yet many people live to 80 and beyond these days.

We are taught to offer children equality of opportunity. Is it not about time the same applied to adults seeking work?

Helene Claydon, Ascot, Berkshire