Among parents of three to five-year-olds - who knew what their children wanted to be when they grew up - doctor, teacher and dancer were the most popular career choices.
Overall, among parents of children 15 and under, teacher and sportsperson came out top in children’s ambitions for the future, followed by lawyer, according to the survey of 1,000 parents, who were questioned about their children’s aspirations to mark the start of National Childminding Week.
And parents around the country might well breathe a collective sigh of relief that only 3 per cent of the parents surveyed thought their child would choose ‘celebrity’ as a career option.
More than one in four parents said that their children showed signs of knowing what their ideal job would be by their fifth birthday, with around half of parents saying their children knew what they wanted to be by the age of nine.
What parents of three-to-five-year-olds say their children want to be when they grow up
| Doctor | 12 per cent |
| Teacher | 11 per cent |
| Dancer | 10 per cent |
| Sportsperson | 9 per cent |
| Singer | 9 per cent |
| Actor | 5 per cent |
| Tradesperson | 4 per cent |
| Celebrity | 3 per cent |
| Lawyer | 2 per cent |
| Politician | 0 per cent |
During the week, childminders and nannies will be holding events to celebrate the work they do in helping children to focus on their aspirations for the future, as well as their own aspirations for their careers in home-based childcare.
The NCMA is urging the Government to invest as much funding in the early years as it does in primary and secondary education.
Susanna Dawson, NCMA chair and a registered childminder, said, ‘These findings show that children are already making plans for their future at a very young age, and supporting early years professionals to help children explore these could have an important impact on where they end up in life.
‘A strong early years education means children are more likely to perform better at later levels of their education. It’s vital that the Government harnesses the potential of the early years by ensuring this crucial stage gets its fair slice of the budget.’
The NCMA survey also reveals that parents are most likely to put themselves first as their child’s role model (38 per cent), followed by teachers (20 per cent) and sportspeople (17 per cent).
It also found that parents continue to be an important role model throughout childhood, compared to other role models that tend to vary according to a child’s age. Younger children draw on cartoon and storybook characters, whereas older children were more likely to admire sportspeople, the survey said.
Professor Tanya Byron, psychologist, author and star of House of Tiny Tearaways and Child of Our Time is supporting National Childminding Week. She said, ‘It is essential that early years professionals build a strong relationship with parents, so that children’s hopes and dreams can be reinforced in their home environment.
‘Kids have a strong sense of identity early on in life, and if we wait until they are teenagers to start nurturing their ambitions and career prospects then it might be too late.’
Further information
National Childminding Week runs from 4-11 June.
NCMA has developed resources for childminders and nannies to help them to explore their goals, role models and career ambitions and share these at home, at www.ncma.org.uk
