Nursery World - 'It's time to question childcare strategy'

The recruitment and retention of childcarers in Britain has reached crisis point despite billions of pounds having been pumped into childcare in Britain over the past four years, according to a report published earlier this week by the Daycare Trust. The report, Raising Expectations -Delivering Childcare for All, points out that although the Government's National Childcare Strategy has been in place since 1998, morale in the early years sector is low and staff turnover high. It states, 'Despite there being significant investment in increasing the qualification levels of the current childcare workforce, there are many reasons for questioning whether a workforce based on low levels of formal education, training and pay is sustainable or desirable.

The report, Raising Expectations - Delivering Childcare for All, points out that although the Government's National Childcare Strategy has been in place since 1998, morale in the early years sector is low and staff turnover high. It states, 'Despite there being significant investment in increasing the qualification levels of the current childcare workforce, there are many reasons for questioning whether a workforce based on low levels of formal education, training and pay is sustainable or desirable.

'Recruitment and retention in the sector is at crisis point. Supply is falling as young women, who in the past may have worked in a nursery, now have many more career paths that are viewed as better paid and more desirable open to them.'

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