Nursery Nurse

Also known as:

Early Years' Specialist
Child Care and Education Worker
Child Development Officer

Introduction

Nursery nurses (also known as child development officers) provide care and education for children aged between birth and five years old. Occasionally they look after children up to eight years old. They plan and supervise play and work activities, to help children learn and develop. They may work in council run or private nursery schools, day nurseries, hospitals, or private homes.

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Work Activities

Nursery nurses are responsible for supervising and helping children with activities like reading, number work, cooking and computer activities. Nursery nurses encourage the children's concentration, creativity, ability to solve problems, imagination, general sense of discovery, and many other skills and qualities.

Their duties vary depending on the age and number of the children they care for. Nursery nurses who look after babies and very young children, for example, in private homes, are responsible for dressing, feeding and changing them, and comforting them when they are upset. Nursery nurses must pay strict attention to hygiene when they make up babies' bottles or prepare food.

They work closely with parents, carers or guardians, and with other professionals like doctors, health visitors, speech therapists, social workers and child psychologists. They may have to monitor and record each child's progress, fill out registers and write reports.

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Personal Qualities and Skills

As a nursery nurse, you must enjoy working with children. You must be caring, understanding and able to give encouragement. A friendly, cheerful personality is helpful, along with a sense of fun, stamina and lots of energy.

Knowledge of children's physical, intellectual and emotional development is very important. You must be able to plan and organise stimulating activities, including outdoor games and trips. Creative skills in art, music or dance are useful, and you must enjoy helping children to read. Knowledge of computers is increasingly useful.

Good communication skills are needed, not just to work with children, but to build friendly and open relationships with parents, carers or guardians.

The work involves lifting, bending and other physical activity, so you must be physically fit and have lots of stamina.

Nursery nurses may sometimes work without supervision, so you must be mature and able to use initiative.

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Pay and Opportunities

Salaries for nursery nurses vary depending on whether they work in the private sector, in local authority nurseries or in hospitals.

The pay rates given below are approximate.

Salaries tend to be in the range of around £13,000 - £20,000 a year. Nursery managers earn in the range of £21,000 - £30,000 a year, and higher rates are possible.

In the National Health Service (NHS), nursery nurses are on Band 4 of the Agenda for Change pay scale. From April 1, 2008 this is £17,316 - £20,818 a year.

Nursery nurses normally work 35-40 hours per week. So as to suit parents dropping children off on the way to work, most nurseries open at some point between 7:30 am and 8:30 am and close at a point between 4:30 pm and 6:00 pm.

The planning and preparation of work mean that nursery nurses start earlier and leave later than the children. If a parent is late in coming to pick up a child, one of the nursery nurses will have to stay on with the child.

Nursery nurses sometimes benefit from school holidays, and weekend work is not usually involved. There are part-time and job-share opportunities.

Nursery nurses work throughout the UK, in nursery, infant or special schools, day nurseries and family centres, hospitals, or private homes, nurseries and creches. (Nursery nurses who work in private homes are called nannies).

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Adult Opportunities

It is illegal for any organisation to set age limits for entry to employment, education or training, unless they can show there is a real need to have these limits.

Skills and abilities gained in childcare are an advantage and may enable you to complete a recognised training course in less than the usual time.

Colleges will usually consider applications from candidates who do not meet their usual entry requirements. You should check the admissions policy of individual colleges.

Some courses are organised on a flexible basis at local colleges of further education. Others are available on a part-time basis.

• 46% of nursery nurses work part-time.
• 2% have flexible hours.
• 6% of employees work on a temporary basis.

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