Hiring in Child Care: Interview Questions, Scorecard, and Retention Plan (2026)

Hiring in child care feels harder than ever. But the problem usually isn’t the lack of applicants—it’s the lack of structure.

🚀 Book a Child Care Hiring & Marketing Strategy Call

If you’re tired of constant turnover and want to build a reliable, long-term child care team, this free strategy call is your next step.

On the call, we will:

• Review your current hiring and onboarding process

• Identify where candidates are falling through

• Share proven systems to improve retention

• Show how clear structure attracts better applicants

👉 Book your free DFY strategy call here:
https://www.childcarebusinessmarketing.com/done-for-you-services

The short answer

Better hiring comes from better screening, clearer expectations, and stronger onboarding.

Interview questions that reveal the truth

Ask questions like:

• “Tell me about a challenging child you worked with.”

• “How do you handle stress during busy transitions?”

• “What does professionalism mean to you?”

Listen for specifics, not buzzwords.

Use a simple scorecard

Rate candidates on:

• Communication

• Reliability

• Experience

• Alignment with your values

This removes emotion from the decision.

The 30/60/90-day plan

New hires stay longer when they know what success looks like.

First 30 days: observation and training

60 days: independent responsibility

90 days: feedback and growth plan

Why staff leave (and how to stop it)

Most staff don’t leave for money alone. They leave because:

• Expectations weren’t clear

• Feedback was missing

• Support felt inconsistent

Fix those, and retention improves.

Bottom line

Hiring is a system. When you treat it like one, everything gets easier.

🚀 Book a Child Care Hiring & Marketing Strategy Call

If you’re tired of constant turnover and want to build a reliable, long-term child care team, this free strategy call is your next step.

On the call, we will:

• Review your current hiring and onboarding process

• Identify where candidates are falling through

• Share proven systems to improve retention

• Show how clear structure attracts better applicants

👉 Book your free DFY strategy call here:
https://www.childcarebusinessmarketing.com/done-for-you-services