Recruitment in Childcare: Finding and Keeping Good Educators

There is no crisis in the childcare sector that is not, in some way, connected to the workforce crisis. Qualified educators are hard to find, harder to keep, and harder still to attract when the pay, conditions, and public perception of the sector have not kept pace with the genuine complexity and importance of the work.

Small independent centres are operating in that environment with fewer resources than large operators. But they also have advantages that do not show up on a salary comparison, and knowing how to leverage those is everything.

What you are actually competing on

You are probably not going to win on base salary against a large corporate operator. You might not be able to match every condition. But you can often offer things that matter more to the right candidates: genuine autonomy in their practice, a stable team where people know each other, a director who is present and invested, and a culture where educators feel valued rather than processed.

These are not consolation prizes. For educators who have worked in high-turnover institutional settings, they are genuinely compelling. Lead with them.

The retention equation

Recruitment is expensive. Every time an educator leaves, you pay the cost of advertising, interviewing, onboarding, and the productivity gap while someone new finds their feet. The return on investment from retention is almost always better than the return on recruitment.

Ask your current educators what would make them stay for three more years. Then do at least some of it. Regular one-on-ones, professional development that they actually choose, and being genuinely thanked, not just at Christmas, make a measurable difference to whether people choose to stay.

Building a pipeline before you need it

Relationships with local TAFE and university programs, a reputation as a good employer in your community, and a simple referral arrangement with current staff can all reduce the reactive scramble when someone leaves. Build those relationships before you are desperate. It makes everything easier.