A study of childcare teacher retention in the childcare service industry

There is relatively little research on teacher retention in the Singaporean early childhood industry, yet this is an important workforce issue because of the rapid expansion of childcare centres to meet the growing needs of parents in Singapore. This qualitative study aims to identify the dominant, contemporary factors that influence childcare teachers’ intentions to continue working in the Singaporean childcare industry. The unit of analysis is the individual; hence, the focus of investigation is on the lived experiences of current childcare teachers in the Singaporean workforce. This study provides important insights into childcare teachers’ perspectives on their work and factors that influence them in decisions about whether to continue working in the childcare sector in Singapore. In total, 102 qualified childcare teachers participated in this qualitative study. In summary, it was found that significant factors such as employee remuneration, employee benefits, work environment and professional development opportunities influence childcare teachers’ retention in the Singaporean early childhood industry.