To boost the number of early year practitioners in the county’s preschools, nurseries, school run nurseries and childminding settings, we have launched a recruitment campaign.
‘Make a change. Build a future.’ will look to attract people searching for a rewarding career to consider a role in early years and childcare. The campaign will call on those who have stepped out of the profession to return to the sector.
It will also encourage new entrants to join the profession and undertake relevant training or apprenticeships, and support people who may be looking to set up their own childminding businesses in Essex.
Councillor Beverley Egan, Cabinet Member for Children’s Services and Early Years, is excited about the many rewarding opportunities on offer. She said:
Early years practitioners provide a vital role in a child’s development and their early learning experiences. Each early years setting will provide a stimulating and varied curriculum that focuses on supporting children to reach their potential.
Stepping into a career in a preschool, day nursery, school run nursery or starting up as a childminder, offers a very rewarding career, job satisfaction and flexible working. The sector offers training and development with so much opportunity for anyone looking for a fulfilling career.”
The early years and childminding sector in Essex includes:
-
604 group run early years settings delivered by private, voluntary and independent providers
-
100 school-based nursery classes
-
714 childminders who deliver funded early years and childcare places to children aged 0 to 5-year-olds
-
192 providers also offer out of school and holiday club provision to meet the needs of working families for school aged children
Our Early Years and Childcare team provide staff development and training opportunities across the sector in Essex. They also work closely with local housing developers and district and borough councils to secure funding which supports the creation of new childcare places in the county.
Recently, this has helped to create a new full day care nursery with 56 available places at Dunton Fields in Laindon.
Jo Callaghan is director of the new nursery, Munchkins Dunton Park. She set up the Munchkins chain of nurseries 10 years ago with her sister, Liz Makins. Today, the duo owns five nurseries across Essex and employ 110 people.
Jo Callaghan, Director, Munchkins Nurseries, said:
A career in early years and childcare is wonderful and very rewarding. We love to see our children develop, every day is different and it’s so much fun to be around little ones.
At Munchkins, we’re proud of our employees. Everyone receives full training, and we support each staff member’s wellbeing.”
To support the recruitment campaign, we have set up information online for anyone looking to find out more about a career in early years and childcare. We also host an online portal to highlight the latest early year vacancies in the sector.