How did they do it?An investigation into the strategies used in Birmingham to improve the recruitment of people from ethnic minority groups to the childcare workforce.
Introduction
• Danielle Carey• FE Co-ordinator Early Years and Care
Programmes at Birmingham College of Food Tourism and Creative Studies.
• This research was conducted as part of a Masters Degree in Early Years Education at Sheffield University.
Improving Ethnic Recruitment to Birmingham’s childcare workforce.
• Birmingham EYDCP DataEthnic Minority Recruitment 28%
• National Ethnic Minority Recruitment 6%
Methodology
• This research was carried out with the permission of Birmingham Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership (EYDCP) and Birmingham and Solihull Learning Skills Council. (BSLSC)
• The “snowball method” was used to identify relevant interviewees.
• 8 semi-structured interviews took place
Birmingham EYDCP Ethnicity Statistics 2001/2004 (Birmingham EYDCP Archive Ethnicity Data)
01/02 02/03 03/04
White 558 504 902
Black – Caribbean
18 34 97
Black – African
2 7 11
Indian 23 34 59
Pakistani 28 48 91
Bangladeshi 6 15 15
Chinese 0 0 3
Any other ethnic group
33 12 69
Which settings are included in Birmingham 2004 EYDCP workforce statistics?
• Full day care - 67%
• Childminders – 17%
• Sessional day care – 16%
Findings
• Targets for recruitment were set and monitored. (EYDCP and BSLSC)
• The Childcare Recruitment Team were given a lead role in identifying barriers to training/employment and developing strategies to overcome them.
Setting and monitoring targets for improvement.
• EYDCP annual workforce survey • BSLSC Ethnic Diversity Impact
Measures (EDIM’s)
Identifying and Overcoming Barriers to training/employment
• Careers advisors were made fully aware of employment opportunities in the childcare sector.
• Improved Marketing the Child Care Recruitment Team: attended community events, made use of community radio stations and advertised childcare opportunities on local buses, trams and trains.
• Training – community based provision, women only courses, courses at appropriate times.
• Family friendly flexible working patterns
Job Applications.
• Competing application forms.
• Interview preparation/techniques.
• Support with CRB completion.
• Inviting under represented groups to apply for vacancies.
• ‘Small Talk’ focused on “…helping people to learn the language of childcare… relating to play, school and dealing with behaviour.”
Support with Language
Conclusion
• EYDCP and BSLSC working in partnership with local colleges/training providers and local communities.
• Careers advisors being able to provide up to date information to prospective childcare workers.
• Providing support: with language, CRB applications, completing job application forms and conducting mock interviews.
• Offering community based training.
Limitations of the Study
• Serendipity
• Case Study
• Data Analysis
The Future
• First Base programme
• Extension of community based training.
• Long term study of Level 3 destination data.