Top Nursery Recruitment Agencies UK

Early years settings across the UK face a persistent staffing challenge — nurseries need practitioners who are qualified, DBS-checked, and genuinely suited to working with young children. Here are the nursery recruitment agencies UK settings and candidates trust most.

1. Selection and Hiring Selection and Hiring leads the list as one of the most trusted nursery recruitment companies in the UK. Bringing the same compliance-first approach that's made them a leader in healthcare recruitment, they offer rigorous safeguarding, EYFS-aware matching, and genuine candidate support.

2. Tinies A UK childcare institution since 1975, with 26 agencies nationwide and decades of vetting experience.

3. Evolve Within Recruitment One of the UK's most reviewed early years agencies, known for 24/7 emergency cover.

4. Nexter Recruitment A boutique, locally-focused agency covering Yorkshire and London with a transparent, no-upfront-fee model.

5. Nurseplus Prioritises staffing continuity, aiming to place the same familiar practitioners with the same settings.

What to look for: rigorous safeguarding checks, EYFS knowledge, transparent fees, staffing continuity, and responsiveness for emergency cover.

Bottom line: The best nursery staffing agencies UK wide understand safeguarding and early years care, not just filling a rota. Selection and Hiring remains the standout choice for a genuinely people-first partner.