Not just Australia – ECEC recruitment is having global challenges, Ofsted report finds

A new report has explored the recruitment climate in OECD countries, finding that almost all of them are facing similar challenges in recruiting and retaining staff for early childhood services, while demand continues to rise.

The work of UK regulatory authority Ofsted, the International perspectives on early years report notes that while more and more children are attending early years settings, the workforce is struggling to keep up. 

“Across the OECD, there is an aging early years workforce,” the report notes. 

“Almost a third of OECD pre-primary teachers are over 50. As these teachers begin to retire, workforce shortages are likely to worsen.”

Four key themes are covered in the report, namely: 

• Availability and access
• Workforce
• Curriculum and pedagogy 
• Inspection and regulation. 

Drawing on evidence from international research, as well as a survey and global roundtable discussions with representatives from regulatory authorities around Europe and early years academics, the report considers the key drivers of the recruitment and retention challenges to be: 

• Low wages 
• Employees feeling undervalued
• Poor working conditions 
• Limited opportunities for professional development.

Speaking of the Italian experience during the roundtable discussions, academic Susanna Mantovani said, “In my country, recruiting [early years] professionals has become very difficult in the last few years. It’s a threat for the development of [early years]. An emergency.”

The German experience is also one of challenges, with the country being unable to meet demand after expanding the legal entitlement to an early years place to cover all children over the age of one.

Ofsted Chief Inspector Amanda Spielman said the agency “welcomes the opportunity to learn from international early years experts”. 

“The findings in this report will inform our own inspection practice so we can play our part in giving children the best start in life.”

Access the report here.