When it comes to childcare, most of us generally assume that parents would opt for a female carer over a male. However, new research has found that this is not necessarily the case anymore.
In fact, statistics from Childcare.co.uk, the UK's largest childcare website, found that single mums are actively seeking male nannies (or mannies has they have now been dubbed) to care for their kids.
Childcare.co.uk founder, Richard Conway explained: “Our research shows some single mums are turning to the ‘manny’ because it offers their child a male role model and father figure”, but this is not the only reason the number of men signing up for childcare roles has increased.
“Childcare has traditionally been considered as a popular profession for women; however this is a common misconception. We’re seeing more men than ever before embracing childcare as full-time careers," Richard added.
"It really demonstrates the shift in perception; women are no longer expected to be the sole childcare provider, and men no longer the sole breadwinners."
In fact, the job of the nanny, once a predominantly female profession, has doubled in recent times, rising from 1.45% in 2009 to 3.08% in 2016, with figures for male childcare providers now in the hundreds.
By region, London has shown to foster the largest number of ‘mannies’ with 477 registered on the site, while North East England has the lowest number with only five signed up.
“We’re committed to see this trend continue. At Childcare.co.uk, we’re dedicated to breaking down the misconceptions which still exist and we want to encourage men who are passionate about childcare to sign-up and find out more about the profession,” added Richard.
Childcare.co.uk is the UK’s largest online community of childcare providers and private tutors offering trusted and reliable support for parents across the country.
