Career Advice for my daughter - working with children

[Domestic Goddess]

My eldest daughter is currently 14 and in the first year of her GCSE studies. She is particularly enjoying her Btech in Health & Social Care and is talking about aiming for a career as an LSA/Teaching Assitant/Classroom assistant etc. She is of slighty above average intelligence and her main asset is her caring and empathic personality. She has always wanted to work with children and has also considered nursery nursing etc. I really don't know if she is bright enough to train as a teacher and would hate to see her stressed by studying above her capability.
So I am wondering if NFHiB has anyone who has worked in this kind of job who can tell me what qualifications are required and whether it is a career that they would recommend.
This may sound a bit mercenary but is a classroom assistant paid better than a nursery nurse or nanny?
Obviously a school job would be great if she had a family, as she'd be home for the holidays if she chose to work.
She prefers children primary age and younger - I think that she would be too sensitive to handle raucous teens.
If she became a classroom assisatnt would it be possible to study for teaching at a later age if she so desired?
Any pearls of wisdom you can offer would be greatly appreciated.

[sp54]

Hi DG
My daughter completed a 2 year college course this summer to become a Nursery Nurse. There are different levels and my daughter did the highest level which is the equivalent of 3 A levels. It was hard work,but she did very well :)
By training as a nursery nurse she has opened the door to all sorts of career prospects. During her course she had work placements throughout the 2 years and these were in different areas of childcare. She worked in day nurseries,hospital nurseries and schools and her last placement was in a primary school when she worked with the reception class. She really enjoyed working there and the teaching staff were encouraging her to take futher training to become a teacher.Meanwhile, as soon as the schools budget allows, then the Headteacher wants her back there to work as a classroom assistant :) She is in touch with most of the staff still and was at the school only yesterday helping them with their school fair by running a stall :rolleyes:
She had one interview for a full time job in a day nursery and was snapped up straight away :) She began working there in September and has already been promoted to a 'room leader' over and above staff who have been working there for some time :rolleyes:
Anyone working in childcare is underpaid :dry: but my daughter is paid above average as she works for a private day nursery and also opted for the harder course ;) LA nurseries will offer much lower pay
She can go on to become a nanny,classroom assistant etc or with further training become a childrens nurse or a qualified teacher. Whilst these would both pay better the stress would be much more too. My husband is in senior management in education and we have discouraged our daughter from going into teaching. I barely see my husband and he regularly works in excess of 90-100 hours a week, 7 days a week from early morning until the wee small hours and is under horrendous pressure :dry: I would not want a child of mine put under that same prssure. The financial gain is not worth it :dry:
I would suggest a nursery nurse course for your daughter would be a very good starting place and then further training if she wanted to after that. It would also give her a good idea of what sort of environment she preferred and which age group as the placements are varied.
Hope that helps a bit :)

[Annabel]

i would say being a nanny will pay much more than being a classrom assistant if she gets the qualification she can work anywhere - and there is always a shortage of fully qualified nannies so if she is into working with kids i would say she should go for that.

if i were you though i wouldnt push any particular carreer at her too hard just now - she still has plenty of time and you never know as she goes along in her studies she might find something else more interesting.

[mazza]

I would also add that anything to do with nursery nursing is pretty low paid unless you are v lucky and find the odd place that pays above average :( .

However, it is still worth qualifying in as it can lead to other things - if she's interested in being a teacher, she may be interested to know that she could become an assessor for NVQs which does attract decent pay ;) . But she needs to qualify as a NNEB or higher really and get work experience.

Having said what I said about the pay being poor, at least when she is young she will pay no tax and have no bills (assuming she's at home still) so it is still worth pursuing :) .