For Ann, it is not all child’s play looking after a busy nursery ...

The family tradition was retail and indeed Ann McNaull worked in the retail industry for several years. But after having children and doing a course, she started working in the childcare field and discovered her niche. Nigel Tilson reports

The Post: Co-ordinator of a Wee Care Day Nurseries branch
The Postholder: Ann McNaull

The family tradition was retail and indeed Ann McNaull worked in the retail industry for several years. But after having children and doing a course, she started working in the childcare field and discovered her niche. Nigel Tilson reports

What does your job entail?

Wee Care Day Nurseries are registered private day nurseries, nursery schools and after school clubs located in north, south and east Belfast, and in Dublin.

I am ultimately responsible for the smooth day to day running of Wee Care's Windsor Avenue North nursery in south Belfast.

My first priority is ensuring the children in our care are happy and well looked after, and that the parents have peace of mind while their children are in our care.

As part of this I help to design the activity and development plans for each age group within the nursery, show parents around the nursery and help in the rooms if needed.

However, I am also responsible for a range of administration duties such as managing the budget and finances of the nursery, and overseeing training and personnel.

How did you get into this line of work?

Once I had children of my own, I became interested in how children develop and learn.

I did a course in childcare to learn more about it.

I later became interested in nursery management so I did a course at Queen's to help me with this. It helped me to progress.

Outline your career to date.

I worked in the retail industry for quite a while, but after having children and doing the childcare course I started working part-time at Wee Care.

I really enjoyed the work and my role expanded. I became a unit head and eventually a deputy co-ordinator.

I left Wee Care in 1995 to work on an EU-funded project in the Greater Shankill as a team leader of parent visiting teams.

I then became co-ordinator of a childminding project. This was a four-year contract so when it came to an end Wee Care's owners asked if I would like to come back to work at the nursery as unit head in babies.

I was then offered the opportunity of becoming co-ordinator of the nursery at Windsor Avenue North, which is where I am today.

Tell us about your qualifications/training.

I have a range of qualifications which enable me to fulfil my position in Wee Care well.

I have a diploma in Montessori Nursery Teaching and have studied the high/scope method of education for pre-school and babies.

I also have a certificate in training and development, and a certificate in management studies as well as a diploma in supervisory management.

I am a member of the Institute of Leadership and Management and an associate member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD).

I also have to keep my food hygiene and first aid certificates up-to-date as part of the requirements of the nursery.

Did you always want to work in your chosen sector?

Actually, no. I had wanted to follow in the footsteps of my family and work in the retail industry.

I owned a small shop for a couple of years.

However, once I had children my priorities and interests changed, which is how I got into the childcare sector.

What qualities are required for your position - personal and professional?

Having a genuine concern for children's wellbeing and happiness is a must to work with children.

Personal qualities that are important are patience and being able to remain calm and being friendly and approachable as both parents and children obviously relate better to that.

From a professional standpoint, having good organisational skills, being able to multi-task and having a pragmatic approach to situations are vital.

Being able to put new parents at ease and reassure them is an important aspect as it is understandable for them to worry when they first start bringing their children in and leaving them in someone else's care.

What do you do each day?

My day varies depending on the needs of the children and staff that day.

It can begin by writing up records, taking children to school, checking e-mails and organising school collections.

I also sort out payments and bank lodgements, and I arrange many of the resources associated with the children's activities.

For example, when the children in pre-school are learning about, say, animals I would liaise with the unit head in organising trips to see animals and organise some of the activities the kids are doing in the nursery.

I show prospective parents around the nursery, too, and check with the unit heads that new children are settling in well. No two days are ever the same in my job, which is part of its appeal.

Detail any recent projects that are reflective of your job and your industry.

We ran a summer scheme for our after school children.

We had a different theme for each week, such as sports week, cookery week, nature week and arts and crafts week, and the scheme proved very successful.

The children loved all the different activities, learning new skills, making new friends and having fun, while the parents had peace of mind knowing that their children were being well looked after, were enjoying their day and were not bored during the holidays.

We are considering developing this idea and having similar projects for other school holidays such as Easter.

Another recent initiative focused on flexible working when all of the Wee Care branches took the decision to introduce flexible bookings in the nurseries.

In our 0-4 age groups we no longer have a minimum number of booking days to assist parents who work flexible hours or part-time, and for our after school groups (4+) we operate a calendar system whereby parents can change their booking days every month to accommodate working patterns, holidays, school closure days and so on.

This way they are not charged for the planned days they don't attend and can book in for full days if required.

However, this facility is only available for after school children.

What makes working in your industry interesting and challenging?

It is rewarding to see the children in your care grow up and develop. Many of the primary school aged children at Wee Care have been with us since they were babies and it is lovely to witness their development.

As far as challenges are concerned, this industry is constantly changing and evolving.

There are often new regulations and we have to adapt to that.

Even things like the way parents can pay their bills is changing, such as with the introduction of childcare vouchers, and we have to make sure we keep on top of that.

What career progression opportunities are available?

The main opportunities available in day nurseries are progressing from childcare assistant to unit head - which is being in charge of a particular age group of children - to deputy co-ordinator and finally nursery co-ordinator.

What do you like to do in your spare time?

I like to read, go to the cinema, eat out and look after my grandson, who takes up much of my time.

Who has inspired you most in your life?

My mother, grandmother and great grandmother are the people who have inspired me the most. They were all strong women who had their own businesses.

However, something violinist Edward Caswell said has also inspired me. He said that we spend time trying to teach children 2+2=4 and that the capital of France is Paris, but what we should teach them is that they are unique and marvellous, and in the history of the world there hasn't been another child like them.

I completely agree with this and think that as much as we teach them maths and geography and so on, we should also be teaching them an awareness of 'self' and who they are so that they can go on to find their own place in the world.

We meet many adults with a lack of self-confidence and self-esteem so we should be teaching people to like themselves from a young age.