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.