In our last article, we wrote about the current increasing need for many settings to have to rely on the use of agency staff and discussed the challenges this presents and the significant impact it has on the financial sustainability and overall quality of a setting each day. We recognise this is a disruptive process; however, some positive aspects can also be drawn from this situation we have unfortunately found ourselves to be in.
Sometimes it is helpful to put yourself in the shoes of an agency staff member turning up at a new, unknown and unfamiliar setting each day. How are you welcomed on arrival? What information is shared with you? Do you feel valued? As we all know, first impressions count. A nursery manager is no doubt quickly making an assessment on the calibre of an agency staff member.
Working collaboratively with nurseries
But we also need to think about what impression the agency staff member is forming about the setting.
It is essential that supply agencies work collaboratively with settings to identify ‘best fit’ candidates to place. We described our experience where agencies are placing unqualified, inexperienced staff into busy settings with little consideration for how this will support the client and individual. Leaders must also be clear about the calibre of the individual they request. Equally, where practice is poor, this information must be fed back to the agency so the performance can be discussed with the individual. We know this is challenging at present, due to the acute shortage of qualified staff. But we need to remember that when qualified supply staff are placed, they must be ‘fit’ for the role and support the setting and team appropriately. It is not acceptable to just have agency staff members on site to ‘tick a box’ in order to say an EYFS ratio is being met.
So, how can we make this challenging system work better? In our visits to many settings over the year, we have met some fantastic agency staff. Some of these have chosen temporary work following unexpected employment changes and they are filling gaps before they reconsider their next line of work. Others simply prefer the flexibility of not being tied to one employer and being able to choose when they work.
The process needs to start from the moment an individual registers with an agency. A detailed skills analysis must be completed to identify the person's profile, individual traits, experience, qualifications and work experience. Settings should be able to request individuals with leadership experience, or specialist areas, such as Forest School experience or a Montessori trained teacher. If the current trend and necessity of using temporary staff is here to stay for the foreseeable future, we need to make it work better.
In our experience, some agency staff are viewed in a less positive light than maybe they should be. Permanent staff almost see them as a hindrance, and frustration and irritation have been seen to trickle in when temporary staff are unable to complete the full range of care duties and responsibilities. This is right from a safeguarding perspective and one we will not challenge. However, as we have continually said, if the use of agency staff is viewed more positively, particularly as we appear to be stuck in a recruitment crisis for the foreseeable future, there does need to be a change of mindset for some.
Setting expectations
In the last article, we highlighted the trend of agency staff sitting silently around a group of children with limited or no interaction. Why is this? Leaders need to be clear from the outset about what their expectations of temporary staff members are. This goes back to how we view our agency colleagues and how we integrate them into our teams. On arrival at a setting, rather than a manager telling an agency staff member what they cannot do – which, from a safeguarding angle, we recognise is of significant importance – let's turn this around and think about how we can embrace the temporary staff member and make them feel valued.
Rather than giving them all the ‘do nots’, let's offer plenty of positive direction. For example, leaders can ask individuals about their experience; they can determine whether they have any particular skills and talents which could be utilised within the setting. An agency staff member may be able to play a musical instrument, or be particularly creative and skilled at reading stories, or setting up role-play areas. Let's nurture these talents. We have seen clients doing this, and the positive difference it makes is significant. The whole process suddenly takes on a positive tone and employed staff then welcome and embrace the temporary staff they work with.
The response from the agency staff member is going to be more positive too. Suddenly they feel valued; they have a purpose and feel skilled and confident about what is expected of them. Think of the positive impact this approach has on children too. New staff members become interesting; they do different things and introduce new activities and talents. Children are mesmerised and engaged when they see someone singing with a guitar and reading stories differently. The atmosphere within a setting then changes and employed staff start to relax and feel confident their rooms will run smoothly, children will cope with the new faces, and their daily routine will not be as disruptive as they originally thought.
This comes down to the initial briefing and placing of candidates. A minimum expectation is that agency staff research the setting before they attend, in the same way a locum professional would before taking on a temporary position. Preparation is key. An agency staff member must be fully conversant with the setting's ethos and the basic structure and organisation of how it is run. It is not an unrealistic expectation that an agency staff member does some background reading on a setting before attending on the first day.
Considering work experience
We also need to consider the breadth of experience that some agency staff members can contribute towards a setting. If they are recruited on a long-term basis, they may be able to influence practice and share their expertise and experience from other settings. Leaders need to think about how they integrate long-term temporary staff into their teams and the support they provide. Those working with children need to be fully supported and leaders need to ensure that all staff have the relevant skills, expertise and knowledge to be suitable for the role. Supervision meetings can take place with temporary staff as well as employed staff if they are directly working with children over a period of time. Safeguarding arrangements must be robust and be fully understood and implemented by all those who work with children, temporary and employed.
We know this current situation is pushing the sector to crisis level. We fully understand this. But as there does not appear to be an immediate end in sight, let's do all we can to make it work for the children we have the privilege of looking after each day. They deserve outstanding practice all day, every day, no matter who is looking after them.
CASE STUDY: Jan Weall, manager, Old Station Nursery in Berkhamsted
As the manager of a large setting, the use of agency staff has sadly become the norm rather than the exception to the rule. The requirement fluctuates on both a daily and weekly basis depending on the needs of the nursery.
For this to work effectively, it is imperative we build a strong working relationship with the agencies we use. This allows us not only to pre-book staff on a long-term basis, ensuring continuity of care for the children, but also to request specific staff who have impressed us and have begun to build a relationship with the children and staff. We are also acutely aware that the expectation of parents is that their child will be cared for by a consistent staff team who follow the ethos and principles of the setting that they chose.
We are extremely fortunate to have welcomed passionate, friendly and enthusiastic agency staff members into our setting. However, one of the biggest challenges is that this is a transient workforce who, while willing to engage with the children, is not a stable part of a child's time at nursery. This means that while using an agency worker will allow us to maintain ratios, they are not able to fulfil the role of key person or work in close partnership with parents. This places a significant amount of pressure on an already stretched workforce as they undertake the role of key person to more and more children.
While we believe that this is an inevitable aspect of using an agency, it is imperative that we engage with the agency staff and to show them how much we value their help and support. Agency staff in our setting are not ‘paint pot washers’; we value their input and actively encourage them to take part in every aspect of nursery life. Only last week I observed the most wonderful, interactive and engaging storytime being led by one of our unqualified agency team. This engagement allowed other members of the team to support other children, thereby providing a cohesive and fulfilling nursery session.
Time is precious, but taking a few moments to ensure the agency member has received an induction and an introduction to the team will help put them at ease and make them feel welcome while outlining your expectations of them. We could not operate effectively without the use of agency staff in our setting, and for this reason among many more, they are valued as equal members of the workforce and my team will go out of their way to make them feel welcome and appreciated.
