working. For the male headteachers, their partner was still most likely to have the
responsibility of looking after an ill child (see Table 15). The next most likely source
of help for men and the most likely for women came from grandparents, particularly
in the case of primary women heads. The respondents themselves were not at all
likely to take sole responsibility for their sick children and this applied to both men
and women. However, both men and women heads said that they took joint
responsibility with their partner for an ill child, indicating a change in the attitudes of
men towards this shared responsibility. Women heads were more likely to mention
using a nanny, and there is a small proportion who insist that their children never get
ill, unless it is the holidays.
Table 15: Who looks after the children when ill? %
|
Secondary |
Secondary |
Primary |
Primary | |
|
Respondent |
3 |
4 |
0 |
9 |
|
Partner |
37 |
17 |
34 |
15 |
|
Respondent and partner |
23 |
18 |
23 |
16 |
|
Grandparent |
19 |
20 |
23 |
33 |
|
Childminder |
10 |
14 |
4 |
6 |
|
Family/relatives |
3 |
4 |
7 |
9 |
|
Friends |
1 |
4 |
2 |
4 |
|
Au pair |
1 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
|
Nanny |
1 |
11 |
2 |
2 |
|
Old enough to be left |
1 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
|
Never get ill |
0 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
|
Other |
1 |
3 |
1 |
3 |
There is a particular tension for women who hold the dual role of headteacher and
mother, both of which make emotional demands. The illness of a child brings this
into focus, with the professionality of teacher or headteacher being in direct
competition with the need to be a good parent. In a recent qualitative study of 20
women primary headteachers who are mothers (Bradbury, 2004) the overlapping
identities of the women as mothers and headteachers, shows their apparently equal
commitment to both with the inevitable tensions:
In analysing why the women allowed circumstances at school to negatively
affect home life there is almost a driven quality about their work as
headteachers, as if this is something that is as intrinsic to their existence as
motherhood itself. (p. 151)
Responsibility for other dependants including elderly
The impact of responsibility for the elderly on career planning for women has already
been mentioned. Overall about 20 per cent of the headteachers commented on
responsibilities, particularly in relation to parents. As might be expected, these
responsibilities tend to accrue to the older headteachers, with slightly more of the
women being involved than the men.
Sharing domestic responsibilities
The respondents were asked how domestic responsibilities were shared between
them and their partner. The headteachers were not asked about the nature of their
partnership, which will include some same sex relationships. The results show that
23