How are early years settings surviving?

A real recruitment crisis

It is no secret that the stresses of business across many different sectors are very aligned right now. Directors, and managers are all facing the challenge of controlling profit and loss spreadsheets with increasing energy prices and escalating general costs, at a time when many industries are trying to recover from the significant and prolonged drop in income throughout the global coronavirus pandemic. On top of this, one of the biggest challenges facing managers today, is the nationwide recruitment crisis. Previously successful recruitment campaigns not only aren’t bringing the quality of candidates required, but most aren’t attracting any candidates at all. Businesses are competing for the smaller market of job seekers, and to attract the right person that will not only bring value to their organisation, but who will keep their services operational, salaries are increasing, benefit packages are included, and ‘hybrid’ and ‘remote’ working are bringing a new flexible offering to meet a positive home and work life balance.

But where does that leave the early years sector? Where home working is non-negotiable, and the industry is struggling to survive juggling the £500m cut in funding in real terms, and the media spotlight on parents that are being priced out of childcare.

An equivalent of 64 early years providers closed every week between 2018 and 2022, so what can be done?

Real options? Or Lip service?

Whilst the government have recognised that an urgent reform is necessary if families are to be able to balance working and caring with high quality childcare; the proposal from the Department for Education certainly isn’t consistent with a focus on improving outcomes for children. Suggesting that to improve the cost, flexibility, and availability of childcare, settings should relax the child to educator ratio has been slammed by almost everyone within the sector. The chief executive at the early years’ alliance responded by saying “It is absolutely ludicrous to suggest that the relaxation of ratios is any kind of solution to the current cost of living crisis. Such a change would be a catastrophic and retrograde step for the early years sector.”….. "By looking at ratios as a solution to rising early years costs, the government has missed the mark and entirely misunderstood what is driving these increases. What we need isn’t deregulated, cheap childcare, but investment in affordable, quality early education.”

For the love of the job

The work of an early year’s educator is undeniably a vocation, and one where the responsibilities are huge. Educators working with under 5’s are creating learning opportunities for children in the years where 90 percent of brain development is completed – what a privilege!

Beyond this, educators hold the responsibility to ensure that children are safe, being confident in the requirements of the legislations around safeguarding and child protection and supporting children to manage and be confident to take risks, whilst protecting them from hazards.

But perhaps one of the biggest responsibilities is taking the role of a part time parent, providing not only quality innovative education, but love, reassurance, and familiarity. We shouldn’t be worried that our staff will leave the industry for a job in a supermarket because it pays better, because working in early years brings a satisfaction that cannot be fulfilled elsewhere.

This is a unique role, where the bond you build with each individual child will take a small place in your heart forever, the sound of the joy of little people’s laughter will echo at dark times, and the feel of the squeeze of a hug when a child is comforted by you will take away any doubts that this isn’t the right career.

But educators need to survive financially.  

Early years educators work for the children, but they need to survive financially, and with their own bills rising, settings must do all they can to ensure that their staff are able to remain in the industry, and are not forced to find work elsewhere, at the detriment of their passion, and blocking the opportunities that they bring to our young children’s first educational experiences.

Business models that reward staff more favourably are unable to meet the requirements of delivering solely the local authority funding to families. There is simply not enough money from local authorities to cover the overheads that a nursery has. This alone creates inequality in provision, a serious issue when we know that children from disadvantaged backgrounds benefit most from high quality early years education but rely on government funded hours.

It is necessary to acknowledge that retention of staff is not just about salary, which undoubtedly is important, but also about working conditions, and supporting wellbeing. Businesses that are driven by its core values, will boast higher levels of staff satisfaction. This is because when there is a consistency between the expectations of the role, and the standards delivered, individuals are working in a workplace in which they can be happy.

A happy and buoyant workforce

Working with children is wonderful – we see them learn, flourish, master and communicate; every day gives us rewards when we see their development, but running alongside the amazing moments is a day job that’s quite stressful, and coping can sometimes be a struggle. Staff happiness has been linked to working in environments that offer ‘psychological safety’ – where staff feel able to express a need, don’t have to cope alone, and, within reason for a safety-critical environment like a nursery, can make mistakes without expecting ridicule or draconian consequences. Mindfulness, effective communication, empathy, and peer support can all be used to support retention, the key is to invest in building a strong and resilient team who can cope with life, work, and the odd curve ball.

For a happy professional career

The reality is that early years isn’t attracting enough new talent, so nurseries must stand out for all the right reasons for recruitment campaigns to work. It is essential to look after every member of your team, never take them for granted, and ensure that there is a consistent process for reflection on what is going well, and how working conditions can be improved. Beyond this retention will fall flat when staff cannot see career progression. Through quality mentoring, skilled training, a commitment to continuing professional development and an equitable EDI strategy, educators should feel that they are in control of their progression through the setting and be motivated and supported to achieve more.

Finally, whilst home working is not an option for early years educators, it is important to consider what flexibility can look like in the context of the setting. Set shift patterns, consistent teams, and recognition of the importance of special leave. If an educator gives their all to other people’s children every day, of course their own children’s sports day or class assembly is going to be important to them.

Be happy in your work and you won’t work a day in your life.

Dedicated early years educators will not only be the captain of a pirate ship on request of a child, but they will also be the best pirate captain they can be. They won’t just read a ten-page fairy-tale with passion, they will read it with commitment, upside down, with at least 4 interruptions per page.  

It’s not an easy job, and sadly it is undervalued by the government, but early years educators are loved, special and important to many young children and their families.

Choose the right setting, and not only is it possible to have a successful career, but it is also a role where the right person will find happiness, every day.   

See our blog on Teamwork to see how KatieB Kids create a warm and rewarding place to work by creating a happy and inclusive daytime family.