Nursery World - The Daycare Trust has called for a new type of childcare worker

The Daycare Trust has called for a new type of childcare worker whose training and employment conditions mirror that of a school teacher, to staff the growing number of integrated services that combine education and care. In a report this week, the Trust said that while virtually all nursery and primary teachers hold a qualification at level 3 or above, one-fifth of nursery workers hold a qualification at or below NVQ level 2, and 45 per cent at level 3 or above. Dr Claire Cameron, a research officer at the Thomas Coram Research Unit at the University of London's Institute of Education and author of the report, said the current worker model is 'unsustainable in the long term'. Daycare Trust director Stephen Burke added, 'A worker who takes a holistic approach to children's care, learning and development would form the basis for childcare services that are among the best in Europe. We need to be ambitious and aim for a professional who can work across settings to give children a full and rounded upbringing.' Copies of the report, Building an integrated workforce for a long-term vision of universal early education and care, are available from the Trust priced 10 inc p&p on 020 7840 3350, or see www.daycaretrust.org.uk.

Copies of the report, Building an integrated workforce for a long-term vision of universal early education and care, are available from the Trust priced 10 inc p&p on 020 7840 3350, or see www.daycaretrust.org.uk.

The average gross pay of a childcare worker is 7,800 a year, compared to 22,662 for nursery and primary school teachers.

Childcare supervisors earn 5.50 to 6 an hour and other childcare staff earn between 4.80 and 5.30 an hour.

A 48-hour strike by classroom assistants last week forced half of Brighton's primary, infant and special schools to close. The assistants voted to walk out after Brighton and Hove City Council agreed to give them pay rises but then cut the number of weeks they are paid to work. Most are paid for 49.9 weeks work a year, but the council plans to reduce this to just 44. The GMB union representing the assistants said it thought it was the first time a group of classroom assistants have taken action this way.

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