‘Staff exodus’ threatens high-quality childcare

Qualified staff are quitting nurseries in large numbers due to low pay, endangering the government’s push to increase the provision of high-quality childcare, it has been claimed. The latest annual Workforce Survey conducted by the National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA) shows 86 per cent of nurseries lost at least one employee in the past year and there are now almost 20 per cent fewer practitioners qualified to level 3 than there was in 2015. Of the level 3 staff who left their jobs, two-fifths quit the early years sector entirely. Two thirds of nursery managers told the survey they are unable to recruit suitable replacements for qualified staff due to a lack of applications. The survey also found that 34 per cent of nursery workers are also considering leaving the profession because of low pay or because they have lost their passion for the sector due to policy changes. Read more.