Nursery World - Second-class childcarers

By Ann Orpwood, deputy manager of St Nicholas Pre-school in Radstock, Somerset I agree with Professor Tina Bruce that a birth-to-six strategy director would be a welcome addition to the decision-making team for early years services ('Put in the shade', 10 April). But it would have to be a person who valued the dedication, experience and training of those who have been working in the sector for many years. This includes nursery nurses, teachers, children's nurses and other qualified professionals, who have all been classed as Level 3 in the standards for registration in the 'childcare' sector. I find it frustrating that we are referred to as 'childcarers', whatever our experience and qualifications may be. We are working for very low wages, whereas people with the same qualifications in the maintained sector are paid professional salaries.

I find it frustrating that we are referred to as 'childcarers', whatever our experience and qualifications may be. We are working for very low wages, whereas people with the same qualifications in the maintained sector are paid professional salaries.

When the Foundation Stage was introduced, many of us were hopeful that there would be a level playing field for all children and practitioners in the early years. However, this has not happened and so we continue to find ourselves regulated and funded by very different systems. Increasingly the maintained sector is being credited with providing the Foundation Stage, when in reality it is the private and voluntary sectors that are providing most of it, subsidised by those of us who work within it.

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