Without a doubt, recruitment is the most enormous challenge our business has faced since 2004 when we started,’ says Abby Auty, co-founder of Red Balloon, a three-setting nursery group in Surrey. ‘We are never not recruiting.’ The NDNA’s 2019 workforce survey found that 77 per cent of settings in England said they had issues recruiting Level 3-qualified staff and 24 per cent reported difficulties recruiting even unqualified staff.
In Scotland the situation for PVIs is even worse, driven by the Scottish government’s plan to expand funded childcare hours, leading to a local authority childcare recruitment drive. The NDNA found staff turnover in Scottish PVIs is 29 per cent, higher than the UK average, with 62 per cent reporting significant challenges in retaining staff.
Register now to continue reading
Thank you for visiting Nursery World and making use of our archive of more than 35,000 expert features, subject guides, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:
What's included
-
Free access to 4 subscriber-only articles per month
-
Unlimited access to news and opinion
-
Email newsletter providing activity ideas, best practice and breaking news
Already have an account? Sign in here
