Recruiting and Retaining your Workforce
A toolkit created by the Department for Education for all those involved in delivering free breakfast clubs and wraparound childcare. Published December 2025
Resource Directory
This directory lists all the topics and resources available to local authorities on Childcare Works. It is a regularly updated downloadable PDF
Childcare Workforce Recruitment and Retention – Advice for early years and childcare providers
Childcare Works is the Department for Education’s delivery partner, supporting Local Authorities, providers, childminders and schools to deliver the expansion of the early years entitlements and wraparound childcare programme. We know that recruitment and retention of staff is one of the sector’s biggest challenges so we have created Advice for early years and childcare providers […]
Childcare Workforce Recruitment
A downloadable guide (PDF) and a recording of a Childcare Works webinar for local authorities held in August 2025
Childcare Works Early Years and Wraparound Childcare Spring Regional Meetings 2025
Download the slide pack shared during these meetings held in April and May 2025
Vodcast: How can LAs Support Childminders with the Expanded Entitlements – Helen Donohoe, Coram PACEY
A vodcast recorded in March 2025
Case Study: Working with Childminders, Lessons from Hillingdon
We spoke to Hillingdon about their approach, challenges, and successes in supporting childminders, here’s what they had to say: How does Hillingdon engage with childminders to support early years entitlements? In Hillingdon, we believe in proactive engagement with childminders as key stakeholders in early years education. Our Early Years Quality Team leads this effort, offering […]
What Have We Learnt with Wraparound Programme Early Adopters?
We have reflected upon some of 2024’s key learning from the Wraparound Early Adopters – those that put themselves forward for early rollout of the wraparound programme in the summer term 2024. Here, we set out our top six insights into implementing and scaling of the National Wraparound Childcare Programme. These insights were first published […]
Case Study: Promoting Childminding as a Career – Wraparound Focus
In a childminder recruitment and retention consultation by the Department for Education (March to May 2024), the following were cited as contributing to a decline in childminder numbers: Time and cost of registering Property restrictions Issues related to entitlement funding and universal credit Feelings of isolation A lack of recognition for the profession Business administration […]