Early years staff told to prioritise their mental health as you cannot 'pour from an empty cup'

Giving the keynote speech at the Early Years Alliance’s annual conference last night, the charity’s chief executive Neil Leitch acknowledged that many within the workforce are struggling with anxiety, depression and low-morale which he said is the reality of working in a low-pay, high pressure sector.’

He went on to recount watching his own mother struggle with mental health challenges and how as a child he was humiliated by a teacher at secondary school because his mother could only afford to buy men’s trousers for him as a boy, which she altered – an experience which made him want to leave school.

Leitch told delegates, ‘When I visit settings I often see smiling educators engaging with young children I see them chatting heavily with parents.

‘Yet I know from our own research that beneath the surface, many within our workforce our struggling, struggling with anxiety, depression, fatigue, low morale with insomnia and panic attacks.

‘In the most extreme cases, they are considering self-harm and thoughts of ending their own lives. It’s an appalling situation, but the reality is that we work in a low pay high pressure sector.

‘It’s an appalling situation, but the reality is that we work in a low pay high pressure sector.

‘Just a few days ago I was talking with a manager of a setting that has a total of 51 registered children. Of those, 35 require additional support. She told me, she wasn’t sure whether she can cope with it much longer.

She said, “I am constantly worried about safeguarding and I’m trying to support these children, but I worry I am the one who will end up in prison because I am overstretching myself.”

‘We cannot underestimate the pressure this puts on the workforce. For someone to feel like that is totally unacceptable.

‘As the saying goes, you cannot pour from an empty cup!’

Leitch went on to say that staff should heed the advice they give to children when they are struggling, that they should be encouraged to ‘work through what they are feeling and not bottle everything up’.

He also said as adults, we should be caring for each other.

He concluded, ‘So, if there is one thing that you take from this year’s conference, I hope it’s the fact that there is no shame in putting yourself first. To say, this is what I need to support my own mental health. To admit that you are struggling and need help.

‘I’m even more determined after tonight’s conference to commit to getting politicians to support us.’