The nursery staff crisis is one that has been brewing for years. It did go off a cliff in lockdown, but there  has not been enough qualified people to work in our nurseries for years before this. What are the causes and how can we solve them?

Nursery staff are lacking the right skills.

The nursery sector needs to be more innovative in its approach to training and development, as well as ensuring that this is delivered by qualified professionals. Nurseries need a workforce that is flexible, adaptable and responsive to changing demands within early years settings.

Staff are poorly paid.

Many employers agree that they need to increase salaries in order to attract more trained professionals. The Government is looking into Early Years, but with so many problems, Early Years will become much worse before it becomes a priority. Fully trained staff however, allows you to take on more children and the income that will bring.

Staff cannot cope with the ever-rising demand.

Nursery staff are overworked. To keep up with the ever-rising demand, they can work 12 hours a day and sometimes even longer. This is one of the main reasons for people leaving Early Years sector in droves.

No time to do rigorous recruitment.

With most managers now having to work on the floor, time is in very short supply. Yet we need to recruit the right people and train them properly. We need to have good retention rates and good systems in place for training our staff. This is where a good training provider can be invaluable. Not only providing high quality teaching, but supporting employers with recruit, vetting and interviewing candidates, saving you time.

No time to train staff properly.

Nursery staff are human beings with feelings, who want to be treated with respect. They need training  to feel valued and supported by their employers.

Training staff is not a luxury; the more knowledgeable the staff are about what they're doing, the more confident they'll feel and the better support they can offer.

Training a team is also a continuous process – even if you have had the same staff for years (well done by the way), it is important you are training the next generation. Apprenticeships can also upskill existing staff in settings, will bring in up to date knowledge, new techniques and policy knowledge.

Solving nursey staff crisis is possible and will improve the quality of care for our littlest citizens!

The importance of investing in the staff who care for our children has never been more important. Childcare must train the future practitioners now, before all of our skilled staff are no longer there to pass on years of their knowledge. The quality of a child's early years has an impact on their development and success later in life. We need highly qualified professionals to work with these tiny humans who are so vulnerable and impressionable, so that they can grow up to be happy, healthy adults.

Finding the right staff can be tough, but choosing to recruit an apprentice or upskilling your staff on an apprenticeship has the potential to elevate your setting. Learn more here.

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