HR for Early Years Book
We’re delighted to share that our new book, HR for Early Years, is now available in paperback on Amazon.
This book has been a long time in the making and brings together years of experience working in HR alongside my own journey as a former Ofsted Registered Person who built an early years setting from the ground up and successfully ran it for almost a decade.
Why I Wrote This Book
Throughout my work supporting early years providers, I’ve seen first-hand how challenging leadership can feel in a sector where expectations are high, resources are stretched, and responsibility sits heavily with managers and owners.
Leaders are expected to balance safeguarding, staffing, inspections, compliance, parent partnerships, and children’s learning outcomes - often all at once.
What became clear is that many of the challenges settings face are not purely operational; they are people and HR challenges.
Strong recruitment, clear expectations, confident leadership, and consistent staff support are what truly underpin safe, successful settings.
This book was written to bridge the gap between HR theory and everyday Early Years practice.
What HR for Early Years Covers
The book focuses on practical, real-world leadership and HR management within Ofsted-registered settings, including:
Safer recruitment and robust vetting procedures
Building confident and capable staff teams
Managing performance and difficult conversations
Embedding safeguarding through leadership practice
Positive behaviour management and supporting children with SEND
Staff wellbeing, supervision, and CPD
Planning in the moment and supporting children’s engagement
Parent partnerships and setting culture
Insights into what inspectors really look for during visits
At its core, the message is simple:
Effective HR and leadership create the conditions where children are safe and able to make progress.
This book is written for:
Nursery owners and managers
Early Years leaders and deputies
Childcare providers preparing for inspection
Settings wanting stronger HR foundations
Anyone responsible for managing people within early years provision
It’s intended to be practical, supportive, and realistic - something leaders can return to as a working guide rather than a one-time read.
