Education

Stress a major issue for two thirds of early years educators, survey finds

Siptu findings show staff shortages, low pay and intensity of the work itself among main causes

In total, 70% of respondents said stress and the potential for burnout was the biggest concern they faced in their day to day work. Photograph: Eric Luke/The Irish Times

Emmet Malone
Fri Apr 5 2024 - 19:41

Stress is considered a major problem by more than two thirds of early years educators and childcare workers in Ireland, a survey conducted by Siptu has found.

The survey, conducted in advance of a conference on Saturday at which Minister for Children Roderic O’Gorman will address workers from the sector, found staff shortages, low pay and the intensity of the work itself were among the chief sources of the stress suffered.

In total, 70 per cent said stress and the potential for burnout was the biggest concern they faced in their day to day work. Almost a third (31 per cent) said staff shortages were the primary driver of the stress with the intensity of the work and financial pressures related to levels of pay cited by 27 per cent and 23 per cent of the more than 1,000 respondents respectively.

Just 16 per cent said they were confident they would stay in the sector due to working conditions with the availability of higher paid alternative employment among the potential reasons for leaving.

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The findings are to be discussed at the conference, the first of its kind, on Saturday. Siptu represents roughly 6,000 of the 27,000 workers in a sector in which low pay has been regarded as a persistent problem.

Late last year up to €4 million in Government funding intended to boost the pay of graduate leads in the sector was returned because employers’ groups declined to accept the money, arguing it was too narrowly targeted.

Speaking in advance of Saturday’s conference, Siptu’s head of organising Darragh O’Connor said pay and conditions in the sector remain a major issue for staff which in turn impacts on the children they care for.

“The reality is that without significant improvements in working conditions, particularly regarding staffing levels and pay, Ireland will remain in the teeth of an all-out staffing crisis.

“Qualified early years educators simply don’t see a long term career for themselves in the sector. This will jeopardise the wellbeing of young children and the future of the sector itself.”

Emmet Malone

Emmet Malone

Emmet Malone is Work Correspondent at The Irish Times

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