Aussie Childcare Network Forum

Hi everyone,
I’ve been thinking a lot lately about whether childcare is still a sustainable long-term career. I love working with children, but with low pay, increasing workloads, staff shortages and burnout, I’m starting to question whether staying in the industry is realistic.
I know many educators stay because they’re passionate, but passion doesn’t always cover rising living costs. Some people I know are moving into teaching, support work, or leaving the sector altogether.
For those who have been in childcare for years, do you still see it as a career with a future? Have you found ways to progress, earn more, or make it sustainable long term?
Would really appreciate hearing others’ experiences.

helengrace wrote: ↑

Sat Apr 18, 2026 2:50 pm

Hi everyone,
I’ve been thinking a lot lately about whether childcare is still a sustainable long-term career. I love working with children, but with low pay, increasing workloads, staff shortages and burnout, I’m starting to question whether staying in the industry is realistic.
I know many educators stay because they’re passionate but passion doesn’t always cover rising living costs. Some people I know are moving into teaching, support work, or leaving the sector altogether.
For those who have been in childcare for years, do you still see it as a career with a future? Have you found ways to progress, earn more, or make it sustainable long term?
Would really appreciate hearing others’ experiences.

I’ve been in childcare for quite a while, and honestly, I think a lot of people are asking themselves the same question right now. I still enjoy the work and can’t really imagine doing something completely different, but it’s definitely become harder to make it a sustainable career. The workload seems to keep growing while pay often doesn’t keep up. What has helped me is looking for opportunities to specialize, take on additional responsibilities, and move into more senior roles when possible. That said, I completely understand why some experienced educators are choosing other paths. Passion is important, but at the end of the day we all have bills to pay. I still think childcare has a future, but the sector needs better support and recognition if it wants to keep skilled people long term.

Honestly, it's a tough one, burnout and pay are real issues, but if you find the right centre with good support, it can still be worth it. Passion only takes you so far though, the system needs to change