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Early Years Workforce- Recruitment and Retention

Bristol Early Years recognises the huge challenges facing providers of all sizes with workforce recruitment and retention. We are working hard with our partners across a range of education and economy and skills services, to develop strategies and solutions to support the sector as it expands with the new early education and childcare entitlements for families.

Research by the Early Years Education and Childcare Coalition shows that nationally, 50,000 additional staff could be needed to maintain existing provision and provide the expanded entitlement. In Bristol this means that hundreds of staff will be needed to provide the potential places needed as the sector expands. It also highlights significant challenges in the retention of existing staff.

Bristol Early Years has created a short film to support recruitment and retention for use in Job Centres, schools and colleges, and information.

If you would like to find out more about, or be part of the Bristol Early Years Recruitment and Retention Forum, please contact Kate Irvine kate.irvine@bristol.gov.uk. The terms of reference for the group can be found below.

Early Years & Wraparound Sector Recruitment & Retention Forum Terms of reference September 2024- 2025

The Department for Education is also boosting its ‘Do Something Big’ Campaign to promote early years and childcare careers on a national-scale across multiple advertising channels including TV. It highlights the huge difference early years educators make to young children and how rewarding working in the sector can be.   It directs potential applicants to use DWP’s Find a Job vacancy platform to search for early years roles in their area. 

You can find the DfE’s recruitment website here.

If you are interested in supporting the Bristol EY Recruitment and Retention Forum with its vital work in any way please contact Kate Irvine, kate.irvine@bristol.gov.uk

Bristol Celebrates it’s long-serving early years educators.

Bristol’s Early Years educators with over 20 year’s service were invited to City Hall on 5th December 2024,  to celebrate their incredible contribution to the city.

Early years educators  were joined by Children and Education Director Hannah Woodhouse, who thanked and praised everyone for their dedication and commitment to the children and families of Bristol. It was noted that with well over 60 recipients gathered at the celebration, the hall contained over 1000 years of accumulated service in  education and care! 

Chair of the council’s Children and Young people Committee, Councillor Townsend, could not attend due to a council debate, but she sent a personal message to everyone receiving recognition, “Your dedication as nursery and childcare workers is a gift that leaves an indelible mark on the lives of the children and families you serve.  Thank you for being a pillar of support, a source of inspiration and a beacon of love in the lives of the children whom you have cared for.”

If you are thinking about a career in early years?

Find out more!

Contacts

Deborah Amphlett – (General Enquiries)

deborah.amphlett@bristol.gov.uk

Dawn Butler – (General Enquiries)

dawn.butler@bristol.gov.uk

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