Retain and develop your childcare team

Retaining staff helps reduce turnover costs and supports team morale. Effective retention involves competitive benefits, a positive working environment and opportunities for staff to develop and progress.

This guidance covers induction, probation, supervision, staff wellbeing and continuing professional development (CPD).

On this page

Induction and probation

Recruiting a new member of staff is only the beginning of the employment relationship. How the employee settles into the job can affect the future of that relationship.

A good induction should help new employees understand the setting, settle into their role and feel confident that joining the team was the right decision.

A poor induction can lead to:

  • under-performance
  • low job satisfaction
  • absence
  • staff turnover

Consider linking the new team member with a mentor who can answer questions and offer guidance during their first days in the role.

Probationary period 

Make sure the new team member understands their probationary period. Arrange a date for them to meet their manager and discuss their progress.

Topics to discuss during the probationary period may include:

  • maternity leave
  • managing staff performance and disciplinary procedures
  • holiday entitlements
  • sickness management and return-to-work discussions
  • GDPR privacy policies

Find further employment guidance on the Acas website.

Staff supervision and appraisal

Support and supervision are statutory requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS).

Hold supervision meetings in a private space where staff are less likely to be disturbed or interrupted.

Managers conducting supervision are not expected to be counsellors. Recognising signs of low wellbeing and knowing where to signpost staff for support can help create a healthy workplace culture.

Appraisals are regular meetings, often held annually, to:

  • review the staff member’s performance over the previous year
  • set targets for the next year
  • discuss training and continuing professional development needs

Targets can link to:

  • the setting’s business plan
  • quality improvement plans
  • the provision’s aims and objectives

Assess the practitioner’s performance against their job description. Have a copy of the job description available at the appraisal meeting.

Creating a positive and rewarding team environment

Creating a positive and rewarding environment for your team is essential to building a motivated, confident and high-performing workforce.

When staff feel valued, supported and recognised, they are more likely to thrive in their roles and provide high-quality experiences for children and families.

Strong leadership, clear communication and a culture that celebrates achievements while promoting wellbeing and professional growth can help create a workplace where staff feel appreciated and able to do their best.

Consider the following ways to support, reward and develop your team.

Professional development and career opportunities:

  • build a culture that values personal and professional development
  • support career pathways and succession planning
  • offer mentor support
  • provide apprenticeship support programmes
  • offer upskilling, qualifications and career progression
  • support role enhancements, such as language lead, SENDCo or fire warden
  • subscribe to professional websites and journals
  • create a culture where professional development is valued

Recognition and communication:

  • celebrate achievements
  • offer staff benefits, rewards and recognition
  • introduce a staff reward scheme, such as employee of the month
  • use staff newsletters to share information
  • offer opportunities to support local fundraising

Staff benefits can include:

  • bonus schemes
  • pension contributions
  • payments towards uniforms
  • flexible working
  • refer-a-friend schemes
  • subsidised social and team events
  • discounted childcare
  • payment for initial Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) enrolment

Invest in your team through personal and professional development: Early years education and childcare training

Continuing professional development (CPD)

Professional development is learning that increases someone’s knowledge, understanding or experience of a subject or role.

Continuing professional development (CPD) is an ongoing and planned learning and development process. It focuses on what staff learn and how they develop. Progress may be formally recorded through supervision or completed assignments.

CPD can include:

  • work-based learning through supervision, training courses, job-shadowing, mentoring or coaching
  • completing a TADO course
  • taking part in a Nottinghamshire County Council peer support buddying opportunity
  • completing a professional qualification
  • informal or experiential learning through life and work experience
  • reflective thinking based on planned and unplanned experiences
  • peer mentoring or job-shadowing

CPD can give staff new knowledge to help them manage new or complex situations. It can also help them achieve career goals and build confidence in a new role.