Nursery World - Editor's view (240)

In the five years since Nursery World last carried out a pay survey, much has happened in the early years sector, but the level of salaries remains a problematic issue. True, pay has risen significantly in that time, as our special pull-out with this week's magazine shows. But despite the introduction of the national minimum wage and the recruitment crisis caused by the rapid expansion of private and state childcare facilities, the average salary of a nursery nurse in the private sector is only 10,698 - still terribly low for such a responsible and vitally important job.

True, pay has risen significantly in that time, as our special pull-out with this week's magazine shows. But despite the introduction of the national minimum wage and the recruitment crisis caused by the rapid expansion of private and state childcare facilities, the average salary of a nursery nurse in the private sector is only 10,698 - still terribly low for such a responsible and vitally important job.

It's hard to see how the situation can be rectified, although pay is likely to rise substantially again this year as new minimum wage rates come in.

Some private providers could really be hit as parents struggle to pay higher fees.

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