Early childcare is essential to maintain a competitive and robust workforce. It’s one of the first considerations parents think about when making decisions about jobs, finances, and their children’s education. Yet, as important as early childcare is to the workforce, the early childcare field experiences challenges maintaining their own workforce, for many reasons.
At United Way of Olmsted County, we’re giving, advocating and volunteering for kids. We’re working to shift the odds to give all kids the opportunity to succeed. How? By helping all kids – no matter their zip code, family background or individual challenges – build the skills and knowledge they need to succeed. We do this by bringing together people from across the community. Whether it’s volunteers, other nonprofits, local lawmakers or people from other areas of the community, we work together. Because change doesn’t happen alone.
United Way’s Early Success learning cohort is made up of funded program partners including Byron Public Schools, Civic League Day Nursery, Families First of Minnesota’s School Readiness, Good News Children’s Center, Thrive Child Care and Family Resource Center, and YMCA of the North. This group elected to seek a better understanding of factors that influence recruitment and retention of staff in the early childhood education field.
This report and the survey on which it is based are designed to analyze themes associated with staff turnover and retention, work/life balance and fulfillment, and factors attracting new employees to the field.
Want to know even more about United Way of Olmsted County? Find out why we give, advocate and volunteer for the people of this community and how we do it.