The Irish childcare sector is facing a workforce challenge that threatens the quality and sustainability of services nationwide. Experienced staff are leaving and attracting qualified replacements is harder than ever. But there are things within your control right now. This guide gives you concrete, realistic strategies to retain your team in 2026.
Why Are Childcare Staff Leaving?
Research and sector surveys consistently identify the same core reasons staff leave early years settings in Ireland:
- Pay that does not reflect the qualifications, skills and emotional demands of the work, even following ERO increases
- Limited or unclear career progression pathways within settings and the broader sector
- Burnout caused by high ratios, administrative burden and emotionally intensive work without adequate support
- Feeling undervalued by management, families and wider society
- Insufficient access to meaningful continuing professional development
- Lack of flexibility in rostering and working conditions
The Real Impact of Staff Turnover on Your Setting
When experienced staff leave, the effects ripple through every aspect of your service. Children lose continuity of care with the key workers they have built relationships with. Remaining staff carry heavier workloads and are themselves at increased risk of burnout. Quality of practice declines. Families notice and become less confident in your service. And when Tusla inspects, high staff turnover is noted as a concern.
In 2026, the pool of qualified applicants in many parts of Ireland is genuinely thin. Replacing a departing staff member takes time, money and management energy that could be used to improve practice. Retention is not just good HR practice. It is a business survival strategy.
ERO Wage Obligations in 2026
The Employment Regulation Order (ERO) sets legally binding minimum wages for the childcare sector, agreed through the Joint Labour Committee process. Compliance with the ERO is a legal requirement in 2026. Paying below ERO minimum rates exposes your service to Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) claims and potential prosecution.
The ERO sets different rates for different roles based on qualifications and responsibilities. Ensure your payroll reflects the correct rate for each staff member's qualification level and role. Core Funding is structured to support ERO-compliant wages, with higher funding rates for services employing graduate-level practitioners. Every time you retain a graduate-level practitioner, your Core Funding income is higher. Every time you lose one and replace them with a less-qualified staff member, your Core Funding rate falls. The financial case for investing in retention has never been clearer.
Building a Culture People Want to Stay In
Pay is essential but not sufficient on its own. Culture is the invisible foundation that makes people want to come to work and stay long-term. The most stable, high-performing early years teams share these cultural traits:
- Regular, specific and genuine appreciation of staff contributions beyond annual appraisals
- Psychological safety where staff feel comfortable raising concerns or making and learning from mistakes
- Clear, consistent communication where decisions are explained rather than simply announced
- A shared sense of purpose and pride in the quality of care provided
- Realistic expectations about workload and planning time outside core childcare hours
CPD as a Retention Tool
Investment in staff professional development is one of the most powerful retention strategies available to childcare providers. Staff who are supported to grow, learn and develop their careers are significantly more likely to stay.
- Support staff in achieving higher NFQ qualifications through the Learner Fund and funded CPD pathways
- Build a culture where each staff member attends at least two external training events per year
- Use Better Start mentoring visits as whole-team CPD opportunities
- Create internal CPD sessions where staff share learning from external training back with the team
- Develop clear career pathways from room assistant through to key worker, room leader and Person in Charge
Flexible Rostering Strategies
Within the constraints of Tusla ratio requirements, flexible rostering has become an increasingly valued retention factor. Consider offering part-time or job-share arrangements where operationally feasible, providing rosters with sufficient advance notice for staff to plan their personal lives, and showing genuine responsiveness when staff need temporary adjustments for health or family reasons.
How Core Funding Links to Staff Pay Retention
Core Funding is structured to reward services that employ and retain qualified staff. The graduate premium within Core Funding pays a significantly higher rate per hour for rooms led by a Level 7 or Level 8 practitioner. This creates a direct financial incentive to hire, develop and retain qualified staff. The practical implication is straightforward: staff retention and Core Funding income are directly linked.
Early Years Shop, part of the Canavan Byrne brand, provides practical HR resources, staff management tools and policy packs to help Irish childcare providers build and retain a motivated, compliant team. Browse our full range at earlyyearsshop.ie.
Final Thoughts
There is no single magic solution to the childcare workforce challenge. But there are things within your control right now: paying at least ERO rates, investing in CPD, creating a positive and appreciative culture, and offering flexibility where you can. Staff who feel valued, supported and fairly paid are staff who stay.
Early Years Shop is part of the Canavan Byrne brand and provides HR resources, staff management tools and policy packs designed for Irish early years providers. Products are available for immediate download and with nationwide shipping Monday to Friday.
Visit earlyyearsshop.ie to browse our HR and staff management resources including job descriptions, work life balance packs and staff wellbeing tools.
