Focus on Men In Early Childhood Education
A report released on Mon 25 September by Early Childhood Education Researcher Sarah Farquhar has revealed that less than 1% of Early Childhood Educators in New Zealand are men.
In her report she calls for open debate on men in early childhood education to remove what she reports as inherent sexism and fears of paedophile accusations, in the field.
A day later, the Early Childhood Council Chief Executive Sue Thorne called for a Government-led initiative to encourage more men into the profession.
She commented in a Christchurch Press article (Sept 26) that many men felt unwelcome in childcare and that the paedophile ‘hysteria’ of the 1990’s had resulted in existing male educators leaving the profession and potential male trainees avoiding the profession.
Other researchers in the field however, have identified other barriers and suggest that the perceived public and media hysteria regarding sex abuse and paedopilia are actually masking the effect of issues such as low pay, low social status of the work and perception of EC education as a ‘women’s career’ as barriers to men entering the profession.
Fatherhood Messes Monkey Minds
Researchers from Princeton University have discovered significant changes in the brain structure of male Common Marmosets on becoming a father.
Marmosets are a primate species where the fathers stay involved with their offspring.
The changes in brain structure are triggered by hormonal changes also found in human males with a pregnant partner.
Connections between neurons increased in an area of the brain responsible for memory and planning. Receptor numbers for the hormone ‘vasopressin’ also increased.
Some of these changes reversed once the young became independent, but could be observed again if a new one was born.
Airline Complaints to Go to Human Rights Tribunal
Father & Child understands that mediation between Air New Zealand, Qantas and several complainants has failed regarding changing the current policy of moving males away from unaccompanied children on airplanes .
One of the complainants, who had withdrawn from the mediation process before it came to an end, intends to take the matter to the Human Rights Review Tribunal.
After hearing the case the Tribunal will issue a finding about whether the practice of asking men to move seats when sitting next to an unaccompanied child is a breach of the Human Rights Act .
