As a physiotherapist, occupational health is important and exciting to me, particularly in relation to the wellness and safety of the early years’ education workforce. I am passionate about the opportunities to improve physical and mental wellbeing for such a valuable yet often overlooked sector of employees.

We know in other industry sectors there is overwhelming evidence to support occupational health investment improving workplace efficiency, productivity , staff retention, and recruitment. In a sector where retention and recruitment are challenging and the “product” is learning and development of children, I feel occupational health has particularly far-reaching benefits for not only staff, children, and their families too.

Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) statutory guidance states the importance of all children deserving high-quality early education and care through a “quality workforce” recognising  “a well-trained, skilled team of practitioners can help every child achieve the best possible educational outcomes.” Additionally for “children to build an attachment with their key person for their confidence and wellbeing. And in terms of safeguarding and welfare requirements that “children learn best when they are healthy, safe, secure, when their individual needs are met, and when they have positive relationships with the people caring for them. All possible with successful OH initiatives to improve staff health and wellbeing, workplace culture, working environment and reducing sickness absence and staff turnover.

I have had the pleasure  of being involved with a 5-year cross-collaborative education-childcare-health research project with the University of Derby, Early Years Alliance, and National Education Union, with input from HSE.

Published in ‘Safety Science, our first paper “Musculoskeletal pain and working practices in the UK early childhood education (ECE) workforce” found:

• 98 % of UK early childhood educators reported pain associated with carrying out work-related tasks (with lower back the most reported area at 89 %)
• Frequency of exposure to occupational musculoskeletal (MSK) risk predicted pain frequency and pain onset.
• Greater participant age predicted the duration of pain events.
• Greater number of years working in early childhood education predicted a greater number of pain locations (independent of age).
• Sickness absence was predicted by pain intensity and frequency of pain caused by carrying out high MSK risk actions (e.g., lifting, stooping, working at low heights, and floor level).
• Consideration of leaving ECE employment was predicted by pain frequency, bothersomeness, number of locations and perceived need for greater provision of musculoskeletal protective measures.

While these findings show the significant burden of pain with chronic characteristics present in UK ECE workforce. The need for ECE workplaces to better protect and promote the physical health of their staff is highlighted. This is something as occupational health professionals, we can help with.

As we celebrate OH Awareness Week (#OHAW2026), our second paper “Physical demands and psychosocial silence: applying the Job Demands-Resource Model to musculoskeletal pain in the early childhood education workforce” is at review stage and findings will be shared when able.

And most encouragingly we have developed OH-based training resources and guidance for the early years sector which will very shortly been launched via the Early Years Alliance.

It would be fantastic to see OH as a central pillar of thought and investment in the early years – we have a way to go, but it is possible!

Lorna Taylor – iOH Director of Physiotherapy, Founder and Director, Jolly Back