I have worked in nurseries for eight years and must say that staff in private nurseries are specifically trained in childcare for the under fives and are happy to continually update their knowledge. The teachers I meet on training courses all seem to have been forced to go by their heads and are not interested. The graduates I have employed, unless they have been nursery nurses, have all needed extensive on the job training. I think the important thing is to employ people who love the job rather than looking for high pay and long holidays.

Sheila Turnbull, South Shields, Tyne and Wear

I am a childcare education worker who has completed my CACHE diploma in childcare and education level 3. I completly agree with the article. I am a university student studying psychology who in an ideal world would love to continue working in nurserys however in reality i will not go back to work in a nursery until i am given more respect as a key worker in the funtioning of society in which the children will mould when they grow into adults aswell as promoting a llife long love for learning.

When better qualified workers are given salaries that we can live on , and that reflect the hard work and expertise we must exhibit every day without fail come rain or shine ( you cannot hide behind a desk or have an off day with children) I will not return.
I will however go back into childcare on a higher position either as a manager or a psychologist and no doubt deal with the problems caused by a system which isnt prepared to put its hand in its pocket to pay for skilled workers.

katie , london,

Im personally shocked and upset to read this article. There has been so much critisim for nurseries lately and although much of it is bad, where is the positive aspects of early years education. I am currentley training for my foundation degree whilst working full time on very poor money as are the majority of the other 30+ wonderful women on my course. But does that stop us caring for the children as if they were our own? absolutley not! At the majority of good settings unqualified staff are not left unsupervised  and not even include in ratios until they are 17. lets start focusing on the positive aspects of early years instead of the negative. Research EPPE  for info

Charlotte Leigh, Portsmouth,

I wish to make the point that not all chidcare settings have this problem. I myself have 9 GCSES(5 above C), 3 A levels and NVQ 2 and 3 in childcare and am currently doing my degree in childcare and education. I love my job and do not want to be less hands on once i qualify. I think if you find the staff who are willing to train and have a real love and interest for what they do, you get a team which will give a fantastic level of care. The overall ethos of the nursery is to encourage people like myself to take my career further, find nurseries like this and you will find brilliant care.

Clair Wickens, Gosport,

I run a 50 place nursery for children 2 years to 5 years i know my staff work extremely hard everyday in their roles, they care for the children plan education through purposeful play, and it is play. Our children spend a lot of time in the education system please let high adult ratios remain as it is far better to have 4 caring people looking after and education children than 1 teacher and the care side dropping. Children need support while taking risks and learning through play. Play planned individual for each child to include their interests and child initiated and led play, support ed by staff who have the time to be with them. The cost of childcare would rise dramatically if we were all degree level even with 1 person being degree level who will fund that parents!!! via the fees
In countries abroad please remember that children enter school at the age of 7 years spending more time in kindergarden.

Tracie Voysey, Portsmouth, England

What evidence does the government have that a "graduate" leader in every nursery will improve standards over a suitably experienced and trained childcare specialist. I have experienced well trained NNEBs demonstrating, and providing, far superior and professional childcare than the majority of degree-educated-teachers working with the under fives, whilst only be paid a fraction of the teachers' salaries.

Andrew, Berks, , UK

More fool you if you put your children in one. There has always been an assumption that any idiot can work with children. You get what you pay for and it's worth thinking about when you consider these places as a full time option. I'm of the opinion that if you love your children you wouldn't put them in a nursery full time.

judy, Liverpool, England

The former NNEB qualification for Nursery Practitioners provided in immeasurably higher standard and breadth of education and training for Nursery work than does the present NVQ. This to the extent that professionals once recognised (and to a limited extent still do) that experienced NNEB qualified staff were more skilled in Nursery work than are qualified Teachers.
The substitution of a defensive Council for Awards in Children's Care for the former NNEB masks the dilution of skills in the field. This quite apart from the tendency for Colleges to pass 100% of students on the NVQ qualification, for it is in their interests to do so. Standards of practice and of professionalism have been substantially reduced. At the cost of the welfare and develoment of the infant children of this land.
The wider dilution of standards in Vocational Qualificatons (and, for that matter, in many "Degrees") has a cumulative impact. I think it was once referred to as "Dumbing Down".

David Rose, Colne,

If the general standard of education is much lower than is was 20 to 25 years ago so that in many trades and professions the general standard is similarl reduced. This, coupled with general standards of social disciplines, has lead to a lowering of standards of all walks of life. It is little wonder, therefore, that nursery care assistants are poorly qualified.

One must also look at the salary scales for these assistants who are probably litle more than he minimum wage and whilst we are about it we should look at the ages, qualifications and salaries of care assistants. There will be little suprise, I suggest, here either, but these assistants feel as though they have the prestige of doing a professional job, but without the professional skills and qualifications - and salaries as the school and care home owners know.

Rodney Barker, Lincolnshire, U.K.

It is a similar situation in private residential childcare.
The staff are either over-qualified, and they do not stay in the field, and quickley move on to positions which do not require hands-on care of the kids, or they are do not possess the personality and the life skills to be able mentors, which no amount of training can supply.
A large proportion of prospective staff's time is taken up with 6 weeks intensive induction to the regulations and proceedures. During this time, a substantial portion of these candiates will not complete the 6 weeks, and a large proportion of those who do, seldom remain longer than a year.
This makes the long term prospects of consitstant care for young people difficult to maintain and the stablity of the work force is constantly undermined.
Training and retraining is expensive and this can lead to poor pay and excesive demands being placed on the work force, which again is another reason for high staff turn over.
The problem is cyclic in nature.

Pablo, Newtown, UK