Hiring Educators: Recruitment Marketing for Childcare Centres

A room you can't staff is a room you can't fill. You can have a waitlist, a great reputation and strong ads, but if you're short of educators, those places stay closed and families go elsewhere.

That's why childcare staff recruitment deserves the same care as your enrolment marketing. Educators compare employers the way parents compare centres: they look at your ads, your website, your reviews and how quickly you reply. This guide shows Australian centre owners how to market their jobs, where to advertise, and how to hire safely without losing good candidates to slow processes.

Why hiring is a marketing job

When you plan your childcare marketing, start with staffing. Our guide to increasing childcare occupancy makes the same point: check that you can staff an empty place within ratio before you spend money advertising it.

The good news is that you already know how to do this. You know your audience, what they care about and where they spend time online. Recruitment uses the same skills, just aimed at educators instead of parents.

Know exactly who you need

Vague ads attract vague applicants. Before you write anything, list the roles, rooms, days and hours you need to cover, and the qualification each role needs.

Under the National Quality Framework, ACECQA explains that in centre-based services with children preschool age or under, at least half of the educators counted in ratios must hold, or be actively working towards, an approved diploma-level qualification. The rest must hold, or be working towards, at least a Certificate III. You also need access to an early childhood teacher, with the amount of time depending on how many children attend.

"Actively working towards" has a specific meaning. ACECQA says the educator must be enrolled and give you documentary evidence that they've started and are making satisfactory progress. Some transitional rules are also scheduled to change at the end of 2026 in several states, so check the current rules for your state before you advertise a role around them.

Write job ads educators actually answer

Most educator job ads read the same: a list of duties and "must be passionate about children". Stand out by answering the questions candidates really have. The Victorian Department of Education's recruitment kit for employers suggests including:

• Onboarding and induction, so people know they won't be thrown in on day one

• Study leave and support to finish a qualification

• Training, professional development and recognition

• Career pathways and leadership opportunities

• Wellbeing support, such as an Employee Assistance Program

• Your service's culture, philosophy and learning approach

Be clear on pay and benefits

Be upfront about what you offer. If your service takes part in the worker retention payment, a government grant that helps services pay eligible workers higher wages, say so. The program has been extended to 30 June 2028, which gives candidates more certainty.

Discounted care is another real benefit for educators with young children. The Department of Education says providers can offer a discounted fee to some staff, and if they're eligible it won't affect their Child Care Subsidy.

Show your commitment to child safety

The ACECQA Model Code for Recruitment encourages services to include a clear child safety statement in job ads and position descriptions. It reassures the right candidates and signals your standards from the start.

Finish every ad with exactly how to apply and what to send, such as a resume, qualifications, and a Working with Children Check.

Put your vacancies where educators look

Don't rely on one job board. Use a mix of channels:

• Job boards. SEEK and Indeed are the obvious ones. Workforce Australia also lets you advertise jobs online at no cost.

• Sector job boards. In Victoria, the government's Early Childhood Jobs website is free to join and post ads on.

• Social media. Your own pages, plus local community and council groups. Our guide to social media for childcare centres covers what to post, including the consent rules for photos of children.

• Local word of mouth. School newsletters, playgroups and community noticeboards all reach people who live nearby.

Give jobs a home on your website

Every ad should link to a careers page on your own site. Include your current roles, what it's like to work with you, real photos of your team and rooms, and a simple way to apply. Candidates check your website the same way parents do, so the basics from our childcare website design guide apply here too.

One note on Google: its job search feature is only available in certain regions, and Australia isn't on Google's published list. So for now, job boards and your own careers page will do more for you than special job markup.

Build a pipeline, not just a job ad

The best time to recruit is before you need to. The Victorian Government recommends that services start recruiting early and build links with universities, TAFEs, secondary schools and training providers. Good student placements let you get to know future educators, and let them get to know you.

The Australian Government also offers support you can build into your plan, listed on its workforce support page:

• Incentives for hiring apprentices and trainees, with early childhood education and care treated as a priority occupation

• The Launch into Work program, which helps prepare job seekers for entry-level roles

• Fee-Free TAFE, worth mentioning to anyone thinking of starting a Certificate III

Hire quickly, and hire safely

Good educators often have more than one offer. The Victorian kit advises screening candidates and booking interviews as soon as possible, then issuing contracts quickly once you make an offer.

Speed shouldn't mean skipping steps. The ACECQA Model Code sets out child-safe recruitment practices, including:

• Structured interviews that explore a candidate's values and approach to safeguarding children

• At least two verbal referee checks

• Checking Working with Children or Vulnerable People clearances

• Verifying qualifications, and teacher registration where it applies

• Checking the NQA IT System register of prohibited persons and suspended educators

The way to do both is to prepare. Write your interview questions, referee check template and offer letter before the ad goes live.

Keep the people you hire

Every educator who stays is one you don't need to replace. Families notice continuity too, which is why our guide to childcare family retention covers how room changes and new educators are introduced. A proper induction, regular check-ins and clear growth paths help new staff settle in.

Finally, track where your applicants and hires come from, just as you track enquiries. The approach in our childcare marketing KPIs guide works for recruitment as well.

FAQ

How can a childcare centre attract more educators?

Write specific job ads that cover induction, study support, career paths, wellbeing and your culture. Advertise across several channels, give jobs a home on your website, reply quickly to applicants, and build links with local TAFEs and universities through student placements.

Where should I advertise early childhood educator jobs?

Use a mix: SEEK, Indeed, Workforce Australia (free), sector job boards such as the free Early Childhood Jobs website in Victoria, your own social media and careers page, and local community channels.

What checks are needed when hiring childcare staff?

ACECQA's Model Code recommends structured interviews, at least two verbal referee checks, a Working with Children or Vulnerable People check, verified qualifications and a check of the NQA IT System register of prohibited persons and suspended educators.

Can I offer discounted childcare to my staff?

Yes. The Department of Education says providers can offer a discounted fee to some staff, and if they're eligible it won't affect their Child Care Subsidy. Check the details with the Department before you advertise it.

Ready to fill the places your team can take?

Once your rooms are staffed, the next job is making sure local families find you. Maximize Marketing helps Australian childcare centres fill places with local search, ads and enquiry follow-up. Learn more about our childcare marketing services or book a free chat and we'll look at where your next families could come from.