As part of our ongoing commitment to strengthening recruitment and retention in the Early Years sector, we are pleased to share these practical resources designed to support managers, recruiters, and settings in making informed, confident hiring decisions.   

How well do you know your applicants? 

Some job seekers might feel they don’t have the right experience or qualifications to become early years educators. A clear, encouraging job advert can help by outlining the requirements needed. This quick reference guide is designed to support early years recruitment connect with different audiences, providing example messages to include in your publications. 

Audience Factsheet - Insight and Messaging Digital PDF

Early Years Recruitment and Retention Toolkit

Recruiting and retaining passionate, skilled professionals in the Early Years sector is essential to delivering high-quality care and education. This Recruitment and Retention Toolkit for Group Providers has been developed to support settings in reviewing current practices, identifying areas for improvement, and implementing strategies that attract and retain the best talent.

Whether you are a nursery, preschool, or multi-site provider, this toolkit offers a structured approach to evaluating your recruitment processes and staff retention efforts. It includes practical checklists, reflective prompts, and action planning tools to help you build a resilient, motivated workforce.

This resource is part of our wider commitment to strengthening the Early Years workforce in Buckinghamshire and aligns with the “Do Something Big” campaign—encouraging settings to take bold, proactive steps in shaping the future of Early Years. 

This toolkit is not a compliance checklist. It is intended as a reflective tool to support continuous improvement and strategic planning. While it touches on best practices and safeguarding considerations, it should be used alongside your setting’s policies, legal obligations, and regulatory guidance.

Childcare Works Advice for early years and childcare providers 

We know that recruitment and retention of staff is one of the sector's biggest challenges. Childcare Works have we have created Advice for early years and childcare providers (PDF) to support you with childcare workforce recruitment. This resource includes:

• Actions you can take to support childcare workforce recruitment and retention
• A summary of the Timewise Childcare Pioneers Project with five recommendations for providers
• Practitioners’ view
• Childcare workforce background information 

Timewise Flexible Working

Timewise have developed a Flexible working guide to nursery managers.  Being able to work flexibly is increasingly seen as a cornerstone for good work-life balance and it has been proven to improve health and wellbeing. The demand for flexibility continues to rise. Employees, and candidates, are increasingly looking for a degree of flexibility. Take a look at this document for advice on how flexible working can be developed in the early years.

Building the early years and childcare workforce of the future

Timewise-A-Guide-for-Nursery-Managers.pdf 

Do something Big Early Years Careers

This information is here to help you. Please use the Do Something Big campaign tips, messaging and ready-to-go assets to add to your own recruitment activity. Together we can boost early years as a career option.

Recruitment resources - Early Years Careers

Vodcasts: strategies for recruiting and retaining early years staff

Looking to improve your recruitment and retention practices? The below expert-led vodcasts produced by Foundation Years, provide practical tips and advice to help you recruit and retain the best early years professionals.

Watch now to gain insights on:

• Effective recruitment strategies for early years settings
• How to retain and develop a strong, motivated team
• Overcoming common challenges in the sector

ACAS

ACAS provides free and confidential advice to employers, employees and their representatives on employment rights, best practice and policies, and resolving workplace conflict. The helpline has a free translation service for over 100 languages.

ACAS Helpline Phone: 0300 123 1100

You can also find some useful information on the ACAS website: Recruiting staff (acas.org.uk)

Managing Staff

Ongoing management of staff is essential to the smooth running of any organisation, from regular supervision meetings and appraisals to staff discipline and sickness issues there is a wealth of information advice and guidance to be found on the following websites:

Acas | Making working life better for everyone in Britain

NDNA | National Day Nurseries Association

Early Years Alliance | (eyalliance.org.uk)

Professional Association for Childcare and Early Years | PACEY