Early childhood education and care (ECEC) is a sector that champions and embraces diversity and takes action in the face of discrimination. Take the Early Years Learning Framework V2.0, titled Belonging, Being and Becoming for its inclusivity focus—gender included.
Such inclusivity extends to male and male-identifying educators who bring valuable learning opportunities to children every day. With public discussion focussing on the topic of child safety, now is the time to clearly articulate the profound benefits that all quality educators, regardless of gender, bring to children's lives.
Why gender diversity in ECEC matters
Just as gender diversity is important in the real world, so it is in ECEC.
As the EYLF states: “Educators celebrate diversity with children and their families, and the opportunities diversity brings to know more about the world.” (p.6)
The same can be said of a diverse workforce, according to Brent Stokes, Approved Provider, Owner and Operator of Beach Kids Early Learning and Preschool in Queensland.
“Children thrive within a diverse learning experience and benefit from seeing the world reflected in the people who care for them," he says. "Male educators offer valuable perspectives and experiences for children, nurture meaningful connections, and help create inclusive, balanced environments that reflect the real world.”
Gender diversity, he adds, enriches a service’s learning environment, and creates a more dynamic and comprehensive educational experience.
The power of visibility
Dr Martyn Mills-Bayne, Senior Lecturer at UniSA, agrees. A former early childhood educator himself, he knows what it feels like to be in the minority (3.9% of the ECEC workforce identifies as male, according to the 2021 National Workforce Census Report).
He and other education experts at UniSA, under the umbrella of Thrive by Five, have called for a national childhood workforce strategy to encourage more men into early learning and childcare professions.
“You can’t be what you can’t see,” says Martyn.
Children benefit from having male educators because when they form close relationships with male educators and see men and women interacting positively it can help disrupt early gender stereotypes in children's early experiences," says Martyn.
He adds: "Seeing men being kind and caring helps to build some of those positive masculinities, particularly for young boys."
Thrive by Five Director, Jay Weatherill AO, further supports this, stating: “Involving men in early childhood education settings is very important for both young boys and young girls to see that a nurturing role can be undertaken by a male. That’s going to be important not only for their experiences and relationships that they form in life, but also a more inclusive society.”
You can learn more about the importance of male educators in this video from UniSA:
CELA Sector Specialist Jannelle Gallagher also stresses the necessity of challenging outdated norms around who does care-related roles: “Males make up 50% of the population and we need to challenge stereotypes,” she says. “Males bring a different perspective to the EC space. This diversity enriches interactions and problem-solving and cultivates adaptability and respect.”
She adds that for many children, a male educator may be their first consistent, positive male role model. “Many children don’t have good male role models at home or a stable connection to a male. An early childhood educator can provide this.”
Male and male-identifying educators can demonstrate that nurturing, empathy and care are universal human attributes, not exclusive to any single gender.
The importance of allyship
While many families are supportive of male educators in their childcare and preschool environments, it is a sad reality that recent events have led some to become distrustful. Understandably, parents are concerned for their children’s safety.
Heightened public scrutiny and suspicion, can even manifest in direct public harassment. Beyond external pressures, the underrepresentation of men in ECEC can lead to feelings of loneliness and a lack of peer support.
This is why it is important that ECEC services proactively support their team and demonstrate to families that they trust their staff, no matter what their gender. This commitment involves:
- Creating supportive workplace environments:
Fostering a culture of inclusion where all educators feel valued, respected, and psychologically safe is paramount. Jannelle advises against making assumptions about educators' feelings, instead suggesting services "Consult, have a conversation. Talk about what they want" in terms of support. She also stresses the importance of "allyship... not speaking for a minority group, but turning up for them," indicating that support must be active and visible.
- Implementing diversity and inclusion programs:
Proactive strategies are needed to attract, retain, and support male and gender non-binary educators, ensuring equitable opportunities for professional development. Note that it is illegal to deny employment or dismiss an individual based on their gender or gender identity in Australia under the Sex Discrimination Act 1984 (Cth).
- Developing clear professional standards:
Upholding and clearly communicating rigorous child protection policies and ethical standards for all staff reinforces safety and trust. As Jannelle highlights, recent child abuse concerns are about individual actions, not gender.
See the Office of the Children’s Guardian and Australian Human Rights Commission guides on developing child safe Codes of Conduct.
- Providing safe spaces for male educators:
Peer support networks and internal mentoring can combat isolation and offer avenues for sharing experiences. Support programs such as Thriving Educators Aspiring Male Educators (TEAM) offer peer support and advocacy resources. Semann and Slattery are collaborating with TEAM to offer mentoring to young male identifying educators.
Brent's message to male educators is clear: "The recent horrifying events have deeply impacted our sector and understandably left many male educators feeling unsettled. Now is the time to stay informed, connected, and supported."
- Educating families about the positive contributions of male educators:
Proactive and transparent communication is key to building trust. Services can adapt communication materials, such as this sample letter from Semann and Slattery, to engage parents.
Brent says services can encourage families to “ask about policies, procedures, and how safety is prioritised. These dialogues are key to building trust, and it’s through trust and collaboration that we create the safest and strongest foundations for our children."
And as Jannelle, points out, if a service trusts their educators, “they’ve done their due diligence—and they’re continuing to embed professional standards and expectations." This can be pointed out in communications to families stating: “We trust all of our educators, male, female and non-binary."
- Challenging stereotypes:
This is an ongoing societal effort. Martyn reminds us that while the conversation often "becomes very laser focused on men... in the end, all of our educators need to work together and show children that their identities can be reflected in the education workforce." This underscores the broader EYLF goal of fostering an environment where every child sees themselves reflected and valued.
Continuing the conversation
The contributions of male and male-identifying educators to early childhood education and care are invaluable. By consciously fostering diversity, challenging ingrained stereotypes, and proactively supporting all staff, the ECEC sector can not only create exceptionally rich learning environments for children but also contribute significantly to building a more understanding, respectful, and equitable future for everyone.
Reading and resources:
The following organisations provide online and phone support for mental health and wellbeing:
About CELA
Community Early Learning Australia is a not for profit organisation with a focus on amplifying the value of early learning for every child across Australia - representing our members and uniting our sector as a force for quality education and care.