Care worker discrimination.

[geoffrey]

A young adult male applied for an advertised vacancy for a care worker in a council-run children's residential centre.
However, when he arrived for his interview he was told 'Oh no, the job is not open to males for child-protection reasons as the person concerned may have to assist children with their personal needs.

The young man was deeply offended as it implied that all males were child abusers. Surely if a woman can assist boys with their 'personal needs' a man can assist girls with their 'personal needs'? Sounds like blatent gender discrimination to me.

[labman]

Re: Care worker discrimination.

I am not sure, but I think there are circumstances where males or females can be barred from applying for certain posts. It seems a little bizarre, if this is a real case, that the centre did not pick up on the fact the person was male from their application form, and also that the advertisement did not mention something.

Do you have further details, or is it a fictional case?

[geoffrey]

Re: Care worker discrimination.

I am a youth worker and this is a genuine situation. (note; discrimination against males is far more common that many believe. I would say that it is now about 50-50 male - female discrimination.

[labman]

Re: Care worker discrimination.

Did this take place at a centre with which you are involved then? Do the centres not use the option to buy into the council's HR facilities?

[teaboy2]

Re: Care worker discrimination.

Did the job advertisement specifically state that it was a female only role?

IF not then the young lad may have grounds for sexual discrimination, but that may be a big IF and no one can tell you for sure, without knowing the full details about the job or the way they advertised the vacancy and the details stated int he advertisement.

Also they can only deem the role as a female only role where their are special cases such special care requirements or where it protects the person receiving care from embarrassment i.e. it would cause a female being helped with bathing by a male carer embarrassment or from suffering psychological effects.

[geoffrey]

Re: Care worker discrimination.

I am a voluntary youth worker and this question came from a young person who believes he was being discriminated against. There was nothing in the advt that specified that the job was only for a female but the woman who interviewed the young man said that it was 'inexpedient' to state that in the press.

The children's residential unit was for boys and girls with about two thirds being boys. So if a male is unacceptable to deal with grrls surely a female must be unacceptable to deal with boys, or don't boys have any rights?

[teaboy2]

Re: Care worker discrimination.

Its not "inexpedient" if exceptions applied to the role. All they had to do was give reasons as to why it was Female only in the advert.

When you say residential unit, do you mean a a care home for children? Do the children have any special needs, history of abuse etc?

If it is a care home, then i fail to see how the role can be female only especially where 2/3 are boys, though if there is any children who suffered abuse then reasonable adjustments should be made to accommodate them and there needs. Though that still does not make the role as female only.

Is it a private care home or council/government run care home?

---------------------------------------------------

I guess the question now is, what does the young land want to get out of this? If he went to tribunal for sexual discrimination, it would cost him in fees that i may not be able to afford, in order to take it to tribunal. He could take it to county court, but then has the greater risk of paying the other sides costs should he lose in court, which would be greater than what he'd have to pay if he lost at tribunal.

Does he want compensation form the employer for wasting his time? He may just be better off, despite them being in the wrong, by putting it down to being their loss not his and to start concentrating of getting a job elsewhere within the industry.

[jon1965]

Re: Care worker discrimination.

The question I would ask is why were they interviewed for a female only role?