Nursery World - Keep nursery nurses in nurseries

Like most nurseries in our area, we are having difficulty finding qualified staff to fill several key vacancies arising in the summer. I have spent this morning speaking with a group of prospective nursery nurse students in an attempt to get some fresh new blood into my nursery. I now understand why there seems to be such a shortage. We know nursery nurse pay is poor, and the hours relatively long compared with schools, but how can you measure the satisfaction of working alongside a teacher with 30 children, against being one of a team of six caring for every aspect of the development of 24 children? The satisfaction factor is paramount to many of us who choose to stay in this field.

We know nursery nurse pay is poor, and the hours relatively long compared with schools, but how can you measure the satisfaction of working alongside a teacher with 30 children, against being one of a team of six caring for every aspect of the development of 24 children? The satisfaction factor is paramount to many of us who choose to stay in this field.

Yet out of a class of just 12, at least six students have no intention of working as a nursery nurse. Among them were two prospective children's nurses, two social workers and two teachers. With two already promised as nannies, one as a children's rep for a holiday company and at least one intending to work as a classroom nursery nurse, that leaves just two candidates for the day nursery market.

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