Low pay undermines childcare quality
The annual SIPTU Early Years Staff Survey, has found that 38% of Early Years managers believe that the recruitment and retention of staff is the biggest problem facing their services. A further 33% stated that it is a ‘significant problem’.
Specifically, recruiting staff was ‘extremely difficult’ for a majority of services, with low pay identified as either the ‘biggest obstacle’ (38%) or a ‘significant obstacle’ (39%). A majority of services also reported that they currently have a staff vacancy.
Many of the more than 2,000 respondents to the survey left their own comments outlining how the staffing issue was affecting their own workplaces. These comments were collected on a confidential basis with respondents only providing their first name.
Early Years Manager, Elaine, said: “It is a constant battle hiring inexperienced staff who are unaware of the requirement of the role, unaware of education programmes and other regulations. Many find the rates of pay so low that they cannot find suitable accommodation and end up leaving the job and we go back to square one.”
An overwhelming majority of managers (93%) also reported that recruitment challenges are negatively affecting service provision. They identified ‘difficulty in maintaining staff to child ratios’ (66%), ‘lower quality for children’ (49%) and a ‘reduction of service’ (42%) as key concerns.
While staffing challenges clearly affect the sustainability of services, high staff turnover and understaffing also undermine quality for children.
Early Years Manager, Aoife, said: “Children don’t have the same care giver for very long. This affects their routine and the trust they build up with the care giver. Understandably, the children are upset and the parents too.”
SIPTU Head of Organising, Darragh O’Connor, said: “High- quality Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) plays a vital role in the cognitive, social and emotional development of young children. Not only does it provide a safe and nurturing environment but also offers opportunities for them to learn, socialise, and grow.
“However, low pay and high staff turnover can significantly affect the quality of ECEC with studies showing that higher staff turnover rates are associated with lower quality care and poorer outcomes for children. Additionally, low pay has been found to be a significant predictor of staff turnover.”
