Why workforce support is vital for nursery growth

Recruitment and retention have become defining challenges for the early years sector. For many nursery providers, building and maintaining a stable, skilled workforce is now one of the biggest factors influencing both quality of provision and the ability to grow.

Across the UK, settings continue to face significant staffing pressures. Recent research shows that 84% of nurseries have struggled to recruit staff in the past year, with many forced to limit places or reduce opening hours as a result.

At the same time, demand for childcare is increasing as funded hours expand, placing further pressure on providers to ensure they have the teams in place to meet rising demand while maintaining high standards of care and education.

Here, Gabriella Baker, recruitment coordinator at Monkey Puzzle Day Nurseries in Berkhamsted, explains why taking a proactive and structured approach to workforce planning is becoming increasingly important for nursery owners and operators... and highlights some of the key facets of their strategy.

Changing perceptions of early years careers

One of the most significant challenges facing the sector is attracting people into early years education in the first place. While the profession offers rewarding and meaningful work, it has not always been widely recognised for its career opportunities.

As a result, many nurseries find themselves competing with other industries when trying to attract new talent.

Highlighting the long-term opportunities available in early years is an important part of strengthening the workforce. When candidates can see clear development pathways and understand the professional progression available, the sector becomes far more appealing as a career choice rather than a temporary role.

Planning ahead for increased demand

The expansion of funded childcare hours has increased demand for nursery places across the country. While this is positive news for families, it also means providers must carefully plan their staffing levels to ensure they can continue delivering high-quality care.

Forward planning is therefore essential. Workforce forecasting and early recruitment planning can help nursery teams prepare for increased demand rather than reacting once capacity pressures begin to build.

Looking ahead at enrolment trends, staffing needs and future growth allows providers to build resilience into their teams and maintain consistent levels of provision for children and families.

Supporting nursery leaders with recruitment

Recruiting and retaining staff is one of the most challenging aspects of running a nursery. Nursery operators, owners and managers are responsible for overseeing daily operations, supporting staff and ensuring children receive high-quality care and education.

Managing a constant recruitment pipeline alongside these responsibilities can place significant pressures on nursery leaders.

Having access to additional recruitment or HR support can help ease this burden, allowing senior staff to focus on leading their teams and supporting children’s development while still maintaining a consistent approach to hiring.

Creating meaningful career pathways

Attracting new practitioners into the sector is only part of the solution. Retaining experienced staff is equally important for maintaining stability and continuity within nursery settings.

Increasingly, early years professional want to see clear progression opportunities when deciding where to work. Creating structured development pathways helps demonstrate that early year’s education can offer a fulfilling long-term career.

Opportunities such as apprenticeships, leadership development programmes and ongoing professional training allow practitioners to continue building their skills throughout their careers. In many settings, practitioners progress into room leader or management roles, strengthening the leadership pipeline and supporting workforce stability.

Investing in people to support quality

For nursery providers navigating ongoing workforce pressures investing in recruitment, development and staff support is essential.

Strong teams form the foundation of high-quality early years provision. By focusing on workforce planning, career development and practitioner support, settings can build stable and motivated teams that are well equipped to support children and families.

 Ultimately, when nurseries invest in their people, they strengthen their workforce and the quality of the early years education provision they provide.

 At Monkey Puzzle, supporting the workforce is a core part of how the network operates. Nursery owners are supported with recruitment planning, leadership hiring and ongoing professional development initiatives designed to help nursery teams grow, progress and deliver early years education.