Rethinking the Value of Early Childhood Education Professionals

By Andreas Schleicher, OECD Director for Education and Skills

In environments where early childhood education and care (ECEC) takes place, staff are met with joy each morning. This emotional connection is highlighted through daily interactions filled with laughter and affection. However, despite these positive affirmations from children and parents, many educators in this space perceive a significant lack of societal appreciation, which poses a risk to the enduring health of the sector.

Recent data from the OECD's TALIS Starting Strong report provides insight into this discrepancy. The findings indicate that over 80% of ECEC professionals across various countries, with the exception of Japan, feel recognized and valued by parents and guardians in both pre-primary and under-3 settings. Children also seem to admire their caregivers, with almost universal appreciation noted—again, barring Japan, where this sentiment drops to 65%. Yet, this positive perception takes a stark turn when considering societal valuation. While 70% or more of staff in Colombia, Morocco, and Israel express feeling valued by society, those figures plummet to below 33% in Chile, Japan, Norway, Sweden, and in Ireland for both ECEC levels.

There's a clear disconnect here, and the absence of external validation likely stems from the nature of their job. ECEC staff frequently build strong relationships with children and parents through continuous communication and visible impact, yet the wider community fails to recognize their professional skills. The persistently low pay and minimal public acknowledgment further contribute to these feelings of undervaluation.

Interestingly, the report highlights that ECEC staff usually feel more esteemed by society compared to lower secondary school teachers. In regions like the Flemish Community of Belgium, Israel, Spain, and Türkiye, ECEC workers report being twice as likely as high school educators to feel valued.

This situation raises red flags. A lack of societal recognition can deter talented individuals from entering or remaining in the field. This dynamic becomes even more concerning when it's paired with inadequate pay. Such conditions lead to high turnover rates, staffing shortages, and diminished morale, all of which compromise the quality of care and education that children receive.

Importantly, the perception of ECEC roles as unskilled persists, overshadowing their vital contributions to child development. The findings reveal that those in the field who feel undervalued typically possess years of experience and robust educational backgrounds. There's a risk that the sector may be losing valuable talent because of this lack of societal regard; unsupported workers often show reduced enthusiasm for innovation, professional training, or job retention.

According to ECEC leaders, staffing shortages directly correlate with lower quality in educational settings. Certain nations, like Germany, Norway, Ireland, and New Brunswick in Canada, face particularly acute staffing challenges. In many of these regions, over half of ECEC centers struggle to maintain quality care and education due to insufficient staffing levels and chronic absences.

While increased funding is often touted as a potential solution, financial constraints can complicate salary hikes. Policymakers have long recognized the impact of early educational experiences on lifelong outcomes, yet real investment in the workforce has often lagged behind such rhetoric.

To remedy this, enhancing salary structures and elevating the professional status of ECEC workers should be prioritized by policymakers. Creating diversified career pathways by delineating various roles, such as lead educators and family engagement coordinators, could foster professional growth—accompanied by appropriate levels of pay, autonomy, and responsibility reflective of their essential contributions.

This tiered approach could not only encourage ongoing professional development but also elevate the standards and respect accorded to ECEC roles. Countries, including Colombia, Belgium, Morocco, and Spain, have started to see success in developing these frameworks within pre-primary education, resulting in higher job satisfaction and decreased turnover.

Given the predominantly female workforce, it’s also important to address matters related to maternity leave and family responsibilities, which can cause higher absence rates in this sector. By establishing pools of qualified replacement staff, alongside promoting greater male participation in ECEC roles, we can begin addressing gender imbalances. Public campaigns could also help reinforce the vital role of ECEC educators, while policies like more flexible parental leave could encourage a more equitable sharing of family care responsibilities.

These combined efforts will be crucial for building a resilient workforce that feels valued in early childhood education and care.

* Estimates should be interpreted with caution due to a higher risk of non-response bias. New Brunswick (Canada), Flemish Community (Belgium), Norway, Germany, Québec (Canada), Ireland. ** Data only represent respondents included in the sample and not the population targeted by the survey. For more information, see Annex B. Source: OECD (2025), TALIS Starting Strong 2024 Database, Table D.8.2.

This blog is based on a chapter from the TALIS Starting Strong 2024 Insights and Interpretations brochure: talis3s2024-insights-interpretations.pdf.

The Starting Strong Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS Starting Strong) assesses the issues impacting early childhood education and care (ECEC). In 2024, it surveyed the ECEC workforce in under-3 settings and in pre-primary settings, catering to children aged 3-6, across a total of 17 countries and subnational entities.