To learn more about child care staff members’ needs, the CACCC gathered data on the needs of child care staff through analysis of publicly available data and a survey of 58 child care staff in the region. Those findings are included below.
Child Care Business Hiring Supports
CACCC knows that child care employers need to be able to attract, credential, and retain highly qualified child care workers and teachers.
According to the CACCC survey of child care administrators and business owners, staff recruitment and retention was child care providers’ second largest concern in successfully operating their programs, and the top priority in considering business expansion. Below are some resources to help child care business owners attract, credential, and retain qualified, dedicated team members.
Staffing Data
Child care staff are an invaluable part of a child care business; investing in qualified staff not only ensures the health and safety of children, but also helps to build a business’s reputation as trustworthy and high quality. However, a number of challenges exist for businesses and child care staff when it comes to recruiting and retaining qualified people. Child care providers are facing staffing shortages across the region. The Michigan State University Office for Public Engagement and Scholarship Child Care Mapping Project reports current staffing shortages:
14%
Eaton County
15%
Clinton County
19%
Ingham County
In response to a CACCC child care business owner survey, 77 percent of regional business owners reported that they are experiencing a staffing shortage.
Credentials and Qualifications
Child care staff are highly qualified for their positions. Of staff surveyed:
28%
hold a child development associate (CDA) credential
24%
have an associate’s degree
9%
have a bachelor’s degree
19%
have a master’s degree
Qualified child care staff have invested in their credentials. The average costs for each credential in Michigan are:
$1,521
for a CDA[1]
$7,344
for an associate’s degree[2]
$60,629
for a bachelor’s degree[3]
$23,534
for a master’s degree[4]
Some staff members have multiple certifications or degrees, meaning they may have invested even more than what is listed for just one of the credentials.
Wages and Benefits
Does all the time, effort, and money pay off in the long run? According to Lightcast 2023 data, the median annual earnings of all child care professionals in the Ingham, Eaton, and Clinton County region is $24,396 ($11.72/hour). This is 7 percent lower than the national average.[5]
When the average annual salary is broken down by county:
$24,091
Clinton County
$23,021
Eaton County
$24,372
Ingham County
Why does this matter?
According to the Michigan United Way, the survival budget, or the minimum cost to live, for a single adult in Clinton, Eaton, and Ingham Counties is $29,580 and $66,672 for two adults and two children not in child care.[6] By this standard, child care staff cannot afford to live in the counties in which they work, regardless of family size.
From the 2023 CACCC child care staff survey:
76%
of surveyed child care staff said that wages are their number-one priority when seeking employment.
58%
of survey respondents said wages were a factor that may lead them to consider leaving their current position.
Over 70%
of survey respondents said that they are at least occasionally struggling to make ends meet.
Nurturing Staff’s Dedication to the Field of Early Childhood Education
Despite wage concerns, nearly two-thirds of child care staff surveyed said that they were very committed to a career in early childhood education. But is passion enough to keep people in a low-paying field? Here’s what else child care staff told us in the CACCC’s child care staff survey:
- 68 percent of surveyed staff said that burnout or exhaustion was a concern that may lead to them leaving the field.
- Nearly half of survey respondents said that having no benefits or unsatisfactory benefits could lead them to leave the field. Survey respondents gave a snapshot of what their current benefits look like:
37%
of staff said their employer offered medical insurance
29%
said they are offered a retirement savings plan
27%
are offered dental insurance
24%
are offered vision insurance
Supporting Your Staff
While many child care providers are also struggling to provide competitive wages and benefits, the surveyed child care staff told us that there are other things that can help attract and retain them. Some of these things would have minimal to no costs for the employer and show child care staff that they are valued members of their teams and the larger community. These include:
- Support for continuing education, allowing people to advance
- Assistance in attaining a credential or degree
- Additional training
- Mentorship opportunities
- Opportunities for team celebrations
- Supervisor communication
- Consistent scheduling
- Constructive feedback about performance
Access training, education, and financial support resources for your staff members.
On a positive note, most surveyed staff feel supported overall. On a five-point scale, with one being not supportive at all and five being very supportive
31%
of respondents rated their workplace environment a four
33%
rated their employers a five
Civitas Strategies is a nationally known management consulting firm that specializes in entrepreneurship, program development, and fundraising, with expertise in workforce development and early learning projects. Through their Early Start initiative in partnership with SPARK Learning Lab in Indiana, Civitas outlined a step-by-step process to creating a three-part job announcement detailing why career seekers should apply, what qualifications they should be mindful of, and how to apply.
Lillio, an early childhood curriculum application that supports child care providers, aims to improve early childhood programming through innovation, technological advancement, and professional growth opportunities. Lillio, formerly HiMama, developed a detailed guide to help child care business owners create job postings to attract qualified educators.
CACCC aims to support child care providers in locating training and retention resources that attract child care staff while encouraging them to stay and grow. Below are some resources designed to support job training efforts for new and existing child care staff.
Michigan New Jobs Training Program
Through the Michigan New Jobs Training Program, the Michigan Economic Development Corporation offers flexible funding to conduct new employee training that is individualized to your business. This opportunity partners businesses with local community colleges and can include coverage for any direct training expenses, which can include job-related instruction, training equipment, and testing and evaluation.
Going PRO Talent Fund
Michigan’s Going PRO Talent Fund helps employers attract and retain the talent they need to be competitive and continue growing, made possible by collaboration between Michigan Works! agencies, educational partners, and other economic development organizations. Across the state and in the capital area, the Going PRO Talent Fund provides competitive awards to assist in training, developing, and retaining current and newly hired employees. Capital region employers can connect with CAMW! for questions related to Going PRO.
State Resources
Michigan Virtual
Michigan Virtual is a nonprofit that provides educators with professional development and related trainings. Child care providers can explore the Michigan Virtual course catalogue and filter their search by “early childhood” to find coursework that best aligns with their needs. Some courses have an associated cost, while others have free enrollment—many courses are developed in partnership with organizations like MiRegistry, K12 Connect, and the Michigan Department of Education.
MiRegistry
MiRegistry is a statewide professional development registry supporting Michigan’s early childhood and K–12 workforce through training and evaluation. Child care providers can create an account to register for professional development opportunities and monitor their education and credential progress. The MiRegistry training calendar allows providers to filter by area of interest, training content and type, date, location, fee, and length of training.
Child Care Network
Child Care Network (CCN) is a nonprofit organization that promotes successful child care experiences through child care education, advocacy, and family support. CCN offers training opportunities in coordination with MiRegistry and helps families find and afford child care. Child care providers can view the CCN available training opportunities, which include topics like health and safety, managing children’s behaviors, and understanding the impacts of race and adverse childhood experiences on children’s development. CCN also posts training schedule updates on their Facebook page.
Michigan Training Connect
Pure Michigan Talent Connect maintains Michigan Training Connect, the statewide eligible training provider list for people who qualify for an Individual Training Account under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, a federal jobs program. Michigan Training Connect houses many helpful resources, including a training search function that may be useful for individuals seeking early childhood education training opportunities.
Michigan State University (MSU) Extension: Child and Family Development
MSU Extension offers no-cost professional development programming for early childhood professionals, both online and in person. These offerings are approved by MiRegistry, meaning they can count toward continuing education requirements as needed.
Tri-share
What is the benefit of participating in Tri-Share as child care business owners?
Reliable and timely payments directly from the state and the participating employer can help improve fiscal stability and predictability.
Depending on local business and employer participation, you may receive additional referrals when working families apply for the program.
It’s a great program for your families and potentially your child care staff, too! Many child care providers act as both a child care location and an employer by offering Tri-Share to their employees.
Pre-K for All
Want to participate as a PreK for All partner/classroom?
Check out Great Start to Quality’s provider resources page to learn more about what resources you’ll be able to access as a Great Start to Quality PreK for All partner.
Where do I start?
Contact your local ISD representative to learn more. ISDs are PreK for All implementers and can guide providers looking to join the program.
The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC)
NAEYC offers a variety of low-cost professional development opportunities, including self-paced online courses and one-time webinars. The topics range from curriculum, developmentally appropriate practices, literacy, and more. Registered sessions with a certificate of attendance can qualify for Continuing Education Units.
The Michigan Association for the Education of Young Children (MIAEYC)
MIAEYC offers a wide variety of professional development resources and opportunities, including learning communities, trainings, the Early Foundation virtual cohorts for those starting out in their early childhood education career, and more. Learn more about what the MIAEYC can do to support your career in early childhood education.
Regional Resources
Capital Area Small Business Development Center
Michigan boasts several Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs) across the state, including the Capital Region SBDC based out of Lansing Community College. The Capital Region SBDC provides no-cost resources like growth consulting services, market research tools, cybersecurity supports, export services, and support for advanced technology businesses. The SBDC is also a key partner in the LEAP TREK Small Business Support Hub. LEAP developed an action guide with step-by-step instructions for launching a new business in 2024.
TREK Small Business Support Hub
The Lansing Economic Area Partnership (LEAP) launched its TREK (Tri-County Resource for Entrepreneurs and Knowledge) Small Business Support Hub in May 2024. TREK Hub is aimed at connecting Clinton, Eaton, and Ingham County entrepreneurs with programs and grants to support their business needs. For-profit child care business owners can browse the existing partner programs, fill out TREK Hub’s intake form to understand which programs and grants they may qualify for, and even schedule a meeting with one of LEAP’s small business and innovation team members.
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