The Early Childhood Workforce sets the foundation for lifelong health, learning, and wellbeing by providing the physical and mental care, education, and support during the crucial early years. Unfortunately, the working conditions of the ECD taskforce are often unfair. Low pay, heavy workloads, and economic instability are a handful of challenges highlighted in the Early Childhood Workforce Initiative’s Landscape Analysis on the working conditions. These difficulties hinder their abilities to support children effectively. To improve the workforce, ECWI recommends stable financing, competitive salaries, and reduced economic insecurity. It also suggests incentives, lighter workloads, and training guidelines. Moreover, professional associations and unions are essential to advocate for labor rights. For further research, ECWI identifies strategies to enhance working conditions, the relationship between conditions and recruitment/retention, and the impact of COVID-19. It stresses the importance of adequate financing, data collection, and workforce planning. 

Read ECWI’s thought-provoking piece on early childhood workforce which guides policymakers, practitioners, and researchers in strengthening programs and promoting effective policies embedded with examples from various countries.