The challenges that people face when working in childcare
Working in childcare can have its challenges that can cause some headaches and barriers to overcome. Many people have the perception that working with children is easy when in fact this is the complete opposite. It can have its rewards and it can have its challenges. So what would you say are the biggest challenges managers and practitioners face when working in childcare?
- Not enough time in the day to do everything
- Too much paperwork
- Not enough time spent with the children
- Difficulty recruiting staff who are qualified
- Not getting enough support
- Difficulties in communicating with parents
- Pay scale doesn’t represent the dedication and hard work
- Requirement to have GCSE in maths and English
- Not enough funding
- Not being able to fill nursery spaces quick enough
Many of the above challenges can cause frustration amongst individuals which can lead to difficulties arising in the team. When working in childcare these challenges are common and the only solution to them is to work together as a team to help find the strategies to help deal with them.
These are just a few, why not share your challenges with us
Good
Advanced pedagogical skills used in teaching adolescents are sometimes used on preschool children especially in less developed countries
I work at an LEA setting. We struggle on so many levels : (
We have high level numbers of SEN children who need 1:1, we used to get extra staff in to support this, however we now do it in house so the existing staff who are key workers have to support 1:1’s. This impacts massively as you can’t support your key group to settle, see what they’re doing, extend their learning or at the least interact with them.
When I commenced this role many years ago children had to be toilet trained to attend, now days most are not which has a massive impact.
Our ratio looks healthy on paper as we’re not full, however if you have 3 staff on a 1:1, 4 areas to man, Someone doing interventions, someone doing IEP’s, someone doing snack, children to change, accidents to deal with, observations to write. dealing with challenging behaviour, the list is endless. I miss reading stories, role playing with the children & delivering a quality education & experience. We try to discuss this with our Head teacher & Lead staff but are told were in ratio ( I get they have pressures from above, lack of funding, targets to meet, etc & I know it’s not like it used to be)
Sadly staff are all unhappy, morale is low. We feel were in a sinking ship but no one is listening. I’ve done this role for over 24 years, obtained my early years degree in 2017 but I’m now looking at changing career, the job makes me stressed, anxious & exhausted : (
I have just read this post and I feel exactly the same way. The job has massively changed, the expectations are increasing by the minute. 1140 hours being implemented was the worst theming they could have done!
I am actually relieved to see other people feel the same way!!
If they don’t interview well that tell me that there is a cultural issues in the Childcare industry and a lack of leadership. My involvement with/in childcare show that there is little progression within the industry. Lack of continual improvement with regards to processes and procedures. It was only 2020 during a pandemic that childcare centers started to include hand sanitizers on site. Why was not this included earlier? This is just an example of how backward thinking childcare centres are. No Vision no leadership. Its we as the users of the services that need to pay increased costs.
Childcare centres have a long way to go and it starts from within the organisation and from leaders who can hire the right staff.
Google “YMCA royal commission” and you will see how poor the organisation was with its processes. I don’t think much has changed since.
Interviewing staff and they interview well but don’t come out as well when they start work!