Five-year-olds show signs of career aspirations

Many children are already planning their future careers by the time they are five years old, a new study has suggested.

More than one in four parents (26%) said their child had shown signs of career aspirations by the age of five, while almost half said they had done so by age nine.

Education jobs are among the most popular ambitions, with 12% of parents saying their child wanted to become a teacher when they grow up.

Another 12% said their youngster wanted to be a famous sports star, while almost one in 10 (9%) said their child wanted to be a doctor.

Some 7% of parents said their child wanted to be a singer, and 7% said a dancer.

Nearly two fifths (38%) of parents cited themselves as their child's role models, while one in five (20%) chose a teacher and 17% said a sports star is the person their youngster looks up to.

The poll was commissioned by the National Childminding Association (NCMA) to mark National Childminding Week.

NCMA chairman and registered childminder Susanna Dawson said: "These findings show that children are already making plans for their future at a very young age, and supporting early years professionals to help children explore these could have an important impact on where they end up in life.

"A strong early years education means children are more likely to perform better at later levels of their education. It's vital that the Government harnesses the potential of the early years by ensuring this crucial stage gets its fair slice of the budget."