Any ex-nursery staff who have changed jobs/careers?

[BurntOutNurseryNurse]

I have worked in nurseries since 2008.
I used to absolutely love it. I still love it, but bloody hell, I am really, really, struggling mentally 😢

The long hours and very little annual leave are just burning me out. 8am-6pm may seem like nothing compared to other jobs, but it's actually wrecking me the older I am getting it would seem.

I am struggling to keep 12 precious, wonderful babies happy, fed, amused, clean and take photos with very detailed observations to go along with them for each individual child. Plus keep the app updated and clean all the toys, clean the play room, do planning, activities, artwork, accident forms, medicine forms, display boards...it goes on and on,and I'm just really, really struggling with it.

There's day where my colleagues and I are up to our necks in unsettled babies who need cuddles and a baby who is sick, a baby who bites and needs to be shadowed etc. And we can't get photos done or planning done. And we are just made to feel like shit from mangement (who are in the office all day and could maybe, I don't know, help us once in a while). Over the years I have had 2 major work-related mental breakdowns, 1 of them was so bad I actually had to leave work. My depression and anxiety has got so much worse over the years too.

Obviously nobody goes into childcare and stays for the money, because let's face it, the pay is shitty, but that's not even why I am fed up. Its because I am so burnt out and am sick of the lack of respect and understanding from the higher ups.

Has anybody been in my position and went on to do another job or maybe even a brand new career? I really want to leave childcare for the sake of my mental health. I just don't know what else to do, I haven't really done anything else and to be honest, I am a bit afraid to take the leap and try something new even though I want to.

Any words of advice or success stories, or even any understanding would be greatly appreciated

I've been doing the job for so long and feel like I should be "better" at coping with all this stuff. Feel so incompetent and weak 😟

Loads of nursery staff I know left and became nannies. If you can travel and find a wealthy family you can make more money and it is less tiring.

Get out of day nurseries. I'll never go back. I'm in a small charity preschool now and it's a totally different beast.

I work in a nursery (3-4 year olds) in an independent primary school and we actively want level 3 trained staff who have worked in day nurseries, for their experience and qualifications. It's much easier - fewer and older children, shorter days (8-4ish) and school holidays. Still exhausting but nothing like what you are describing. I'm the manager/lead practitioner but my office time is separate and I'm in the classroom four mornings a week and almost always nearby the rest of the time to help and support as necessary. Pick your school carefully and you won't look back. Good luck x

Completely understand. I've been working in a nursery for 10 years. I was in my 30s when I started with primary age children of my own. I'm now approaching 50, my youngest child is in Y10 and I'm finding the nursery work is burning me out these days. Long days, little annual leave and quite difficult cohorts with growing numbers of SEN have taken away the fun I found at the beginning.

I changed careers during covid as I was so stressed out. Not long after the nursery reopened I went off suck with severe depression and anxiety as I just couldn't cope with things. And yes like the op I felt there were not enough hours in the day to complete things. I worked in a small nursery - 2 rooms and about less than 10 staff. I was in the baby room and felt like the manager/owner had favourite staff and I wasn't 1 of them - felt like I was getting picked up on things all the time, most of the parents were OK but a couple of them were d and there were a couple of children who had severe behaviour issues and I used to dread the days they were due in - just before Christmas one year their behaviour was so bad they were asked to leave. I have stress related ibs and if I was in the room by myself I almost always needed to go to the loo urgently. Felt I didn't get much support near the end of my time there although the staff were nice - unfortunately I don't ask for help when I'm struggling do that didn't help matters. I admit I wasn't very good at coming up with activities to do - in my head they were OK but when it came to actually doing them they never worked out. I even asked to swap rooms as I was struggling in the baby room but the owner refused so I felt I had no option but to resign on health grounds in 2020 - surprise surprise!!!! The owner offered part time hours but it was too little too late. I retrained in medical administration from 2021 although I'm still looking for a job but I'm glad I left as I had been working with children since about 1995!!!! I wasn't very good at explaining my problems to people verbally so I felt quite isolated. Sorry for the long post - think I needed to vent and get things off my chest.

Take a look at jobs in the NHS - you’ll have plenty of transferable skills plus the pay is ok and you start with 27 days leave (plus bank holidays) that rises to 29 days after 5yrs and 33 days after 10yrs

https://www.nhsjobs.com/

I changed direction at the age of 40 and today is actually my 18th Anniversary of working in the NHS

Good Luck

Awful and stressed staff @Glasgowgal200 are going to struggle to look after the dc.

I don't know why companies shoot themselves in the foot like this.

I started off in nurseries - went on to Nanny (for an absolutely lovely family) then decided to go back to Uni and qualified as a nurse. I’m currently working as a school nurse and work alongside nursery nurses who are band 4s. I know you said you are thinking of getting out of childcare all together however you sound like you enjoy the working with children part and it’s more the setting/management that it a problem. So potentially working with the school nurses or health visitors in your area is worth thinking about.
My mum has spent a looooooong time working in day nurseries and much like yourself she started to feel worn down with the increasing paperwork and attitudes of management so she started doing agency work - obviously pros and cons to this but it does usually pay slightly better and less stress of paperwork along with the benefit of moving around nurseries and individual nursery managers not being your line manager, could be worth trying even if it’s just a small step out of your comfort zone before you try something new.
Change can be difficult but life’s to short to dread every work day, go for it!

I'm a childminder, we're in more demand than ever, own boss so no one making you feel like shit - and there's a grant at the moment for starting up. You're already halfway there with your knowledge of the EYFS.

Nursery nurse in neonatal? 3 long shifts a week and a really lovely job!

I did childcare and after some personal horrendous experiences jumped to retail while I decided what to do. I stayed for a good few years. Did less days for better money and it was so worth it.

I have recently changed from a canteen assistant to a TA in a senior state school and my new role is similar to how you’ve described yours minus the holidays as we have one every 6 weeks. Don’t get me wrong, I have made a good change as the canteen was worse, it’s just that the job is stressful at times!

What about setting up on your own doing childminding? Then you won’t be overwhelmed with babies. Can control your own hours, your experience will work wonders in getting you work! They are hugly in demand. I know mine charges £60pd 8-5. I pay £2 a day extra for lunches and I provide the nappies and wipes. I don’t get hourly updates lol! Occasionally if my childminder remembers I get a picture send to me lol. And the observations are non existent - she just tells me what they did that day. It’s all very casual - and as long as my baby is cared for, happy and safe. Thats all I need to know.

My friend got job as midwife's assistant now training to be midwife

Early years educator or LSA in primary school?

Nanny

From nursery, to childminder, to primary TA to now WFH on a local authority in the adult social care / public health / children’s services department.

A LOT more money, career progression, satisfaction and appreciation.

Plus I don’t feel directly responsible over anyone’s life and emotional state.

Best thing I ever done but believe or not, my previous experience in childcare is what gave me the skills necessary to achieve and shine where at my current job.

Good luck.

Hi everyone, thank you so much, I am here reading through your replies.

I have worked in 4 different nurseries, and although some are better than others in some aspects, at then end of the day, they are basically all the same; shitty hours, shitty pay, no value or respect, huge amounts of pressure put on us and ever-increasing demands for no extra pay.

It's so hard because I think I would like to get out of childcare, but at the same time, I am, quite frankly, terrified to try something else. Saying that, I didn't know lots of NHS and school jobs were looking for experienced nursery staff and that my skills were transferable! So will maybe look into that.

Ahhhhh it's so difficult!😭

I did 10 years in early years, I left 4 years ago initially to care for my dad through his last month's but after he died I wanted something different.

I wasn't sure what I had the skills to do so I found and entry level role in the civil service as a receptionist but since then I have applied for and got higher levels roles and I now mange a small team.

Prioritisation, multitasking and people skills, as well as the ability to present in a calm way when things get challenging are all valued attributes for various jobs.

Not worked in childcare myself but my best friend has just made the leap after 20 years! Sounds exactly the same circumstances as yourself too! A teaching assistant job came out at a local primary school, she got it and has not looked back!
She absolutely loves it and wishes she’d jumped ship years ago!!

I was a childminder and left the sector three years ago and have never looked back. I left due to the under funding of the funded hours, having to jump through hoops to be paid the funding by LA and the complete lack of respect the sector gets. Families need the childcare to go to work but resent paying for it. I now work in Children's Services and love my job. I will never return to childcare and with all the funding now coming in would have quit anyway.

I left because it felt like we were just glorified babysitters, even though most of us had a degree. The pay was minimal and management didn't think we did enough.
What broke the camel's back was the accidental death of one of the children. (Not during our care) Management didn't provide us with any counseling, didn't allow plus to go to the funeral because they would have to close the room and god forbid they would loose too much money. It was so painful because in my eyes, we helped to raise that child. I was heartbroken broken and after that I left. Now I'm training to be a teacher.

I worked in nurseries for 16 years. Left after my 4th child and now work in adult social care full time and love it! I work primarily from home with flexi hours so it fits perfectly around busy family life!
I was the same- it became less about the children and more about the paperwork! Plus we really don’t get paid enough for the amazing work we do!!

Do you have space in your home to childmind? You can be your own boss, work term time only. Only look after 3 children. Or a Nanny or working as an EYFS TA or in a preschool?

I’m on £65,000 as a full time 50 hours per week nanny. I’d recommend it in a heartbeat for you op.

Please tell me what to do. I'm highly qualified in early years, ex teacher, ex NN, Are there any agencies you recommend? I'm old enough to remember when these jobs were advertised in The Lady magazine!
(Shameless! Sorry to hijack thread OP!)

There's aFB page called adventures after teaching. Though you're not strictly teaching your skill set is the same. There's loads of advice there. Good luck, you're worth so much more than your job.