£1,000 cash incentive for local early years practitioners
Residents with a background in early years education could receive a cash incentive to enter the industry thanks to a trial scheme taking place in the borough.
Wirral has been selected to take part in the pilot which will see £1,000 offered to early years practitioners who begin working, or return to working, in a childcare setting from April 2024 to March 2025.
Wirral is one of 42 local authorities chosen by the Department for Education (DfE) for this trial scheme. The council will receive around £215,000 of funding - to cover the employee payments and other costs such as national insurance - which will be used to support around 135 local people looking to begin or return to a career in early years childcare.
The recent expansion of free childcare support has created more opportunities for working parents and families but has placed greater demand on the childcare sector as more places for children will be needed. The national childcare offer is also due to expand again in September 2024 for children aged from nine to 23 months.
Elizabeth Hartley, Director for Children, Families and Education at Wirral Council said:
We appreciate the additional pressure on the already-stretched early years industry. Wirral has fantastic providers and truly dedicated childcare staff who make a huge difference in our children’s lives. While this pilot isn’t a magic ‘fix’, hopefully it will go some way to support the sector and the council will continue to do all it can to help childcare settings and their existing employees.
Wirral’s Early Years service has been working with childcare providers to identify ways the council can support settings and existing staff. One example is the offer of a work experience work plan, meaning childcare settings have a ready-made set of ideas, tasks and roles to share with a work experience candidate without having to spend time developing it themselves.
Elizabeth Hartley said:
Caring for young children is an amazing career that is really rewarding. Every day you get the privilege of seeing a small person develop while you help them find their way in the world. This pilot scheme is a great opportunity for those Wirral residents who are looking to work in this field to get something back for themselves too.
New starters should receive their £1,000 payment from their employer once all eligibility criteria has been confirmed and they have completed 60 days of work (3 months).
Candidates must meet all of the following DfE eligibility criteria:
- The candidate must not have worked in an early years position in the last 6 months.
- The candidate must be on a permanent contract
- The candidate will be working with children 70% of their working week
In addition, Wirral has set the following criteria. Candidates must be qualified to level 2 or 3 in childcare and education and meet one of the additional criteria:
- Candidate is an experienced level 3 staff member who has left the sector.
- Candidate has experience of working with children with SEND.
- Candidate is willing to work over 30 hours a week all year round.
- Candidate will be working in a setting based in a targeted ward: Seacombe, Leasowe and Moreton East, New Brighton, Birkenhead and Tranmere, Rock Ferry, Bidston and St James.
For more information or to register for regular childcare vacancy updates email fis@wirral.gov.uk.
