Flexible Working Could be Essential for Early Years Expansion

Flexible Working Could be Essential for Early Years Expansion

Flexible job opportunities in the early years sector could play a key role in addressing the early years recruitment crisis, according to the social enterprise, Timewise. Their recent report suggests that half of the additional staff needed for the funded childcare expansion could be recruited through part-time positions.

The report estimates that offering flexible or part-time roles could attract the equivalent of 17,850 childcare workers. This analysis uses the estimate provided by the Department for Education that 35,000 extra staff will be required to support the expanded childcare provision by September 2025.

It also highlights a decline in part-time work across most early education and childcare settings since 2018-19. This trend has made it increasingly difficult for childcare educators with their own caregiving responsibilities to balance work and personal care commitments.

Furthermore, the report points out that 93% of non-working individuals would prefer part-time or flexible roles over full-time positions, underlining the demand for more adaptable employment options in the sector.

It is clear that hiring more part time and flexible staff would be one way that the recruitment issues within the sector could be tackled. However, it would likely create different issues and other measures would be needed to sustainably help recruitment in the sector.

The Timewise report, Building the Early Education and Childcare Workforce of the Future, is available here.