The survey results show that staff within the ECE sector have suffered from stress, excessive workloads and even bullying in the workplace.

This last one is of extra concern not only because bullying should not occur in any workplace but that it occurs in settings where there are young children who may witness this, at an age when bullying can be learnt, and the children are cared for by affected teachers. 

It is not easy to say whether the ECE sector has more or fewer injuries and stress-related problems than other industries and comparable occupations such as school teaching, without carrying out a detailed comparison of injury rates. But, with nearly a quarter of teachers saying they suffered excessive stress and a quarter reporting workplace bullying there is a suggestion that the sector as a whole and ECE services individually need to make sure they are doing their best for workers.