According to the RAPID Survey Project, staffing shortages and lack of resources continue to challenge most early childhood care and learning providers. Surveys conducted every month during 2022 reveal that more than half of providers experienced staff shortages. For center-based providers, between 64% and 82% reported staff shortages.
Recruitment and retention challenges are contributing to the shortage. More than three-quarters of center-based providers and more than two-thirds of home-based providers have reported difficulty recruiting and retaining staff.
It’s not surprising that staffing difficulties and lack of resources have been significant sources of stress for providers. 81% of center-based and 73% of home-based providers have reported high levels of stress, as well as anxiety, difficulty decompressing, depression, or burn-out.
The RAPID Project is an early childhood and family well-being survey that launched in April 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. In March 2021, the RAPID Project launched a national survey of the child care workforce, to create a fuller picture of the needs, well-being, and health-promoting behaviors of the important adults in young children’s lives. RAPID is under the direction of Philip Fisher, Ph.D., Director of the Center on Early Childhood at Stanford University.
The most recent (December 2022) RAPID report is titled, Overdue: A New Child Care System that Supports Children, Families & Providers. You can find out more about the Rapid Survey Project at rapidsurveyproject.com.
