PLANS to expand free childcare mean thousands of new nursery staff are urgently needed.
Currently all three and four-year-olds are entitled to 15 hours free childcare a week — rising to 30 hours for working families.
From April working parents of two-year-olds will also be able to access 15 hours of free childcare.
More than 102,000 under-twos have already been registered.
Think tank Nesta estimates around 27,500 extra early-years professionals will be needed to meet the rise in demand.
But eight in ten local authorities describe the recruitment of early years staff as being “very difficult”, so this month the Government has launched a recruitment drive.
Do Something Big, which is being trialled in 20 local authorities, aims to encourage people into a career working with small children.
It is focusing on new trainees to work in nurseries, pre-schools, school wraparound care and as childminders.
Up to 3,000 of the hires will also receive a £1,000 tax-free cash incentive after three months in the job under the scheme.
Around 347,000 people work in the sector, with many nurseries stepping up the number of apprenticeships on offer.
