The Male Experience
The field of Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health (IECMH) is predominantly female, resulting in a lack of gender diversity and reinforcing the perception that caregiving is primarily a woman’s role, especially among direct service providers. To better understand and address this imbalance, the People Powered Workforce Initiative convened a focus group specifically for male-identified providers. Eight people participated. Several key themes emerged from the discussion, which are illustrated in the graph below.
Key Takeaways
In the focus group, men highlighted interconnected themes of stigma, societal misconceptions, advocacy, and support. They reported a notable absence of initiatives and campaigns designed to promote and support male caregivers, which may be a result of stigma and societal misconceptions about the roles men play in the development of young children and within professional caregiving spaces. This lack of recognition and support perpetuates ongoing gender imbalances in the IECMH workforce, limiting the field’s ability to benefit from the unique knowledge, experience, and perspectives male caregivers bring.
Societal Misconceptions
Male providers shared stories about being viewed as less nurturing in personal and professional settings, reinforcing the belief that caregiving isn’t a role suited for men. This misconception not only discourages them and other potential male providers from participating in supporting young children and families but also overlooks the valuable skills and perspectives they bring to the field.
“One of the myths that gets perpetuated is that father’s have really nothing to do with the infant, because all they do is eat, sleep, poop, and play. It is important to dispel that myth. I still have dads that come into the prenatal class that say, ‘Oh, I was told that there's really nothing for me to do."
Lack of Visibility and Support for Male Caregivers
Male providers discussed the lack of initiatives and campaigns that promote and support male caregivers and providers. This absence contributes to ongoing gender imbalances in the IECMH workforce and prevents the profession from benefiting from knowledge, experience, and perspectives that male caregivers and providers offer.
“When men come into this work there's very little acknowledgement of gender and multiple identities that we bring to the work. That holds the same for the staff who are women.”
Opportunities for Action
Shift Perceptions and Reduce Stigma
Male-identified providers in the focus group advocated for a paradigm shift in societal views regarding male caregivers and providers’ experiences, roles, and contributions in infant and early childhood mental health. By debunking stereotypes and highlighting the contributions of male caregivers and providers, the field can more comprehensively support the development of young children (prenatal to age 5 years), families, and communities, and foster a more inclusive and equitable environment.
Advocate for Change
Male-identified providers observed that many of the systemic barriers hindering the retention and advancement of male practitioners are related to the barriers that impact their female colleagues, as well as their colleagues of color. Therefore, the focus group members called for a comprehensive strategy to reform the workplace. Those strategies included, but not limited to, providing staff support, increasing compensation, providing opportunities for career advancement, providing reflective supervision, and advocating for equitable funding models.
Promote Gender Diversity
The group expressed interest in specific and targeted promotion of the infant and early childhood mental health career and employment to male-identified caregivers and prospective students and professionals in related fields of study and practice. This approach would help diversify the IECMH workforce and create pathways for equitable leadership development and role models by emphasizing the importance of diversity in experience, knowledge, perspectives, and contributions to the relational health and wellbeing of young children and families.