How to Choose the Right Early Childhood Recruitment Agency for Your Centre

Hiring the right educators is one of the most important decisions you’ll make for your early learning centre. But even with job ads online and referrals from your network, finding the right fit—someone qualified, reliable, and aligned with your philosophy—can be challenging.

That’s where a professional early childhood recruitment agency can make a difference. The right partner helps you avoid high staff turnover and ensures the educators working with your children are the ones who’ll stay, connect, and contribute.

A Good Agency Listens First

You’ll know early on if an agency truly understands your centre. Do they ask how your rooms are structured? What kind of educators thrive in your environment? What hasn't worked in the past? These insights shape the candidates they recommend—and whether those educators are likely to succeed long-term.

If you're immediately sent a stack of résumés without these questions, chances are the agency is treating you like just another client, not a centre with unique needs.

Sector Experience Matters

The more familiar a recruitment agency is with early learning, the less you’ll need to explain. While some agencies cover long daycare, sessional kindergarten, and OSHC, that doesn’t necessarily mean they understand how each one operates day to day.

Ask what types of centres they usually support. If your approach is play-based, Montessori, or bilingual, that context should inform their recommendations and influence which candidates they put forward.

Vetting Goes Beyond Certificates

Anyone can check whether a candidate has a valid Working With Children Check. What matters more is how they handle drop-off tears, group transitions, or difficult conversations with parents during stressful moments.

An experienced early childhood recruitment agency already knows which candidates are confident with infants, who can run a preschool group, and who may need support adjusting to classroom life after completing their qualification.

Check How Follow-Up Is Handled

A placement doesn’t end once someone starts. Ask if the agency follows up in the first few days or weeks. These check-ins help identify small mismatches early—before they impact the children or team morale.

They also make future placements smoother, as the recruiter gains a deeper understanding of your environment and won’t need to repeat setup questions.

Ask About Casual Support, Too

Short-notice availability matters if you manage rotating rosters or need to cover regular leave. Not every agency offers both casual and permanent placements, so confirm this early if it’s important to you.

Having one agency manage both types of placements reduces admin and improves consistency. Casual staff already familiar with your centre are also well-placed to transition into permanent roles, minimising disruption for children and staff.

Personality Fit Should Never Be an Afterthought

Qualifications get educators through the door, but personality shapes the day. A calm, responsive educator can change the tone of a room. Likewise, two team members with good chemistry can carry a shift even when things get tough.

A good agency looks beyond the résumé. They’ll consider how a candidate might fit into your team’s pace, structure, and communication style—and how they could grow within your centre.

What to Ask Before You Commit

Start with a short phone call. You’ll quickly get a sense of whether they understand your needs. Try asking:

• How do you assess soft skills like communication and teamwork?
• Will I work with the same consultant each time?
• What happens if a placement doesn’t work out?
• Can you support both short-notice and long-term roles?
• Do you provide feedback from educators after they’ve worked with us?
  

If the answers are vague or overly polished, they may not have the insight or responsiveness you’ll need when things move quickly or challenges arise.

Why the Right Agency Makes Hiring Easier

Recruitment in early education isn’t just about filling a role. It’s about finding educators children connect with, who your team can depend on, and who don’t need weeks of supervision to get up to speed.

A professional early childhood recruitment agency helps you make those connections—without wasting time chasing leads or settling for whoever’s available that week.

If job ads are going unanswered or trial shifts aren’t working out, it could be time to work with people who truly understand how important stability is—for your team, your centre, and, most importantly, the children in your care.