Mental health crises driven by low pay, emotional labour, and systemic neglect are impacting early childhood educators. It also impacts the children they teach.
Early childhood educators play a vital role in a child’s early development. Yet, they are often dismissed as mere ‘babysitters. Or at best, that they have an easy job. Nothing could be further from the truth. This profession demands immense emotional labour, resilience, and both mental and physical strength – factors that significantly impact educators’ mental health. These professionals also require extensive knowledge and skills as they juggle the needs, demands, and expectations of multiple stakeholders. Despite their critical contributions, their work is frequently undervalued, underpaid, and overworked, putting their mental health and overall well-being at risk.
The outdated public perception of educators’ role must change. The ongoing disregard and expectation of servitude are taking a serious toll on educators’ mental well-being.
The Mental Health Cost of Working in Early Childhood Education
A recent study on the psychosocial risks and mental health of preschool care providers in Kuala Lumpur has found that 28.7% of preschool educators show symptoms of depression. This is a shockingly high rate for any profession. The contributing factors are job strain, insecurity, and lack of support, all of which contribute to the declining mental well-being of this group. How is that possible?
Early childhood education is not just about looking after children. It involves nurturing the social, emotional, and cognitive growth of the children.
Research by the University of Waiktato highlighted the significant emotional labour involved in this profession. In particular is what they term ‘surface acting.’ This is where educators suppress their true feelings to stay professional. Surface acting contributes to exhaustion, anxiety, and depression. When educators are emotionally drained, their interactions with children suffer. This can hurt not only the quality of care and the children’s learning but also the social and emotional development and well-being of the children.
Depression and Burnout: Hidden Risks in Early Childhood Education
The mental health struggles of early childhood educators are not an independent issue but the result of a toxic cycle deeply interconnected with multiple systemic problems characterized by low wages, high job strain, lack of support, and societal undervaluation.In many regions, including Malaysia, early childhood educators are severely underpaid in relation to their work’s complexity and the emotional labour that the job demands. According to the most recent data from a popular global employment platform, the average monthly salary for early childhood educators in Malaysia ranges from RM1,600 to RM2,600. Many work beyond their contracted hours, preparing lessons and managing administrative tasks without extra pay. This financial strain, combined with the emotional demands of working with young children, compounded by unrealistic and often misinformed expectations that educators should be miracle workers who address every need and complaint, adds more pressure to an already emotionally taxing profession.
How Systemic Neglects Fuels Mental health Decline
The cycle of overwork and low wages leads to job insecurity, which then contributes to emotional exhaustion and disengagement. As educators become increasingly stressed, their ability to provide high-quality care and education diminishes, further worsening their own well-being and that of the children in their care. Compounding the issue is the widespread societal stigma that sees early childhood educators merely as “kakak” or “aunties” rather than skilled professionals. This lack of recognition and respect for the profession reinforces low morale, perpetuating stress and burnout.Ultimately, the cycle results in high turnover rates and a persistent shortage of qualified educators, which in turn places even greater pressure on those who remain. Thus, completing and restarting the cycle in a downward spiral with far-reaching consequences for the children. After all, no professional who is financially insecure, emotionally drained, and undervalued can give their best. A system that neglects its educators will inevitably fail its children, too.
Prioritising Mental Health in Early Childhood Education
To combat the growing mental health crisis among early childhood educators, researchers from the National Child Development Research Centre, Sultan Idris Education University Malaysia, have highlighted several measures that must be taken.First and foremost, early childhood educators deserve fair compensation that reflects the intellectual, emotional, and practical demands of their work. Without appropriate pay, it is more difficult to shift public perception of early childhood educators from “babysitters” to skilled professionals who play a crucial role in children’s development. Stronger institutional support is also critical. Supervisors and administrators must acknowledge educators’ mental health challenges, provide adequate support systems, and foster a culture of appreciation.
Policy-level interventions are equally necessary, including the enforcement of better working conditions, regulated workloads, job security, and access to professional benefits.
Early childhood educators are not just an afterthought. They are the foundation of early learning, nurturing, educating, and inspiring young minds. They deserve respect, recognition, and support, not just in words but through fair compensation, better support, and societal respect. It is time to take concrete steps to prioritise their mental health. The mental health of early childhood educators is not just an issue of individual well-being; it affects the quality of education and care children receive.
When we fail to support our early childhood educators, we fail the very children they are working to nurture and guide.
Ms. Ting Mee Ling and Dr. Alicia Lim Zhi Hoon are lecturers in Early Childhood Education at the School of Design and Arts, Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak Campus. Ms. Ting’s research focuses on teacher well-being, transformative emotional intelligence, children’s social-emotional learning, and professional development in teacher education. Dr. Lim’s areas of expertise include early intervention, applied behaviour analysis, autism, parent training, and teacher training. They can be contacted at [email protected] and [email protected], respectively.