New childcare recruits in city to be offered £1,000 sign-on bonuses

Monday, 5 February 2024 17:07

The City of Wolverhampton Council has been chosen to take part in a pilot scheme offering £1,000 tax-free payments for those starting childcare jobs.

The ‘Do Something Big’ recruitment campaign has been launched by the Department for Education.

As part of the campaign a trial initiative – covering 20 local authorities including Wolverhampton – will see new-starters and those returning to childcare roles given a cash bonus payment shortly after they take up post.

It aims to help ensure nurseries and early years providers have the staff required to offer more childcare places for parents.

The move comes ahead of April when eligible working parents of two-year-olds will get 15 funded hours on top of existing childcare provision – ultimately putting more money in parents’ pockets at the end of the month.

The rollout is set to save working parents using the full 30-hour entitlements up to £6,500 a year.

Councillor Chris Burden, the City of Wolverhampton Council’s Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, said: “We welcome the opportunity to take part in this national pilot scheme.

“The recruitment drive will help support our efforts to ensure nurseries and early years providers have the workers they need to be able to offer more childcare places for parents as provision is expanded.

“This will allow more parents to stay in work, supporting the local economy in the knowledge their children are receiving good childcare, laying the foundations for them to achieve their full potential.”

The campaign will look to boost recruitment across the sector by highlighting the array of childcare career routes and progression opportunities offering on-the-job training and flexible hours.

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