What Early Childhood Educators Are Really Asking For And Why It Matters for Our Workforce

PRO Board
Apr 10
3 min read

Lucy Escobar, of COACHING AND CONSULTING LLC was one of the vendors at our Spring Conference. She is a leadership Coach, Business Consultant and Master Trainer. We are sharing the article she wrote about the results of a survey she did at the conference and how it applies to the work that needs to be done.

Last week, I had the opportunity to attend the PROVIDER RESOURCE ORGANIZATION (PRO) Conference in Oregon, a grassroots organization that began in 1985 by family child care providers supporting one another and has grown into a statewide network advancing professionalism, training, and quality care.

While there, I surveyed early childhood educators to better understand the current landscape. One thing you should know about my work is this:

I don’t build programs based on assumptions I build them based on the voices of educators.

As a Strategic Systems Advisor™, my work centers on designing solutions that reflect the lived realities of the workforce. Every program, service, and initiative we develop is informed directly by the community we serve.

What the Data Revealed

The findings were both powerful and concerning:

Most educators have between 4 to 15+ years of experience
The majority are home-based providers
Burnout is a greater concern than compensation
A significant number are unsure if they will remain in the field
A leadership pipeline exists, but it is not being activated

This is not a workforce that lacks commitment.

This is a workforce that lacks sustainable systems.

We Are Not Facing a Motivation Problem

Too often, conversations about the early childhood workforce focus on recruitment or training gaps.

But the data tells a different story:

We are not facing a motivation problem We are facing a sustainability problem.

Educators are experienced, capable, and deeply committed to their work. However, many are operating without the systems, tools, and support needed to sustain themselves long term.

What Educators Are Really Asking For

Through this survey, a clear pattern emerged. Educators are not asking for more information. They are asking for support that aligns with their daily reality.

They are asking for:

Systems that help them manage time and reduce overwhelm
Support to stabilize and grow their programs
Guidance to step into leadership with confidence
Practical tools they can implement immediately

This is a shift we must take seriously.

The Missing Piece Is Infrastructure

If we want to stabilize and grow the early childhood workforce, we must move beyond isolated training efforts.

What is needed is a workforce infrastructure approach that integrates:

Personal sustainability and well-being
Business and financial stability
Leadership development and identity
Clear pathways from educator to leader to program owner

Without this, we will continue to see experienced educators leave the field while leadership potential remains untapped.

A Path Forward

This is the work I am committed to building through the Early Learning Leadership Collective™, a model designed to support workforce stability, business sustainability, and leadership development in a structured and culturally responsive way.

Because when we invest in educators as leaders and system builders:

We don’t just retain them.

We strengthen the entire ecosystem of early childhood education.