A new report from the Education Policy Institute (EPI) compares conditions and characteristics of childcare workers with those in occupations that are often regarded as career alternatives in England.
The early years workforce in England touches on key issues that the childcare workforce in England faces, including financial struggles. A large propotion of childcare workers are facing fiancial insecurity — 44.5 percent claim state benefits or tax credits.
Additionally, recruitment issues surfcace in the research as a current problem and a long-term concern as the current workforce ages. Currently, childcare providers have cited difficulties in hiring staff, particularly well-qualified staff.
Low qualifications are also a concern for the quality of childcare in England. In 2018, just a quarter of childcare workers had completed a degree. Further, while the provision of professional development is essential to increase the quality of services, few opportunties are provided by employers for staff to gain higher qualifications.
The report dives into issues across the sector. You can find the full report here.
