Staffing Agencies: Pros and Cons.

I'm in the midst of wanting to look for more consistent work in the same place.

Among the pros in working for a staffing agency is that we get to try/see different kind of childcare centres, be it Council owned, private, not-for-profit, and hopefully, the occasional purely Montessori centre (which has yet to happen in Sydney anyways, nor with any of my current agencies)..

In doing that, we learn a bit more about the different types of childcare centres, and in the process, are able to make more informed decisions on whether we want to work in those centres, or the kind of facilities available at the different kind of centres.

However, I've come to understand better that as the cost of bringing in temporary contractors from staffing agencies is high (and expensive!), most centres try to make use of their current staff, or always opt for a cheaper option, whenever possible.

Through discussions with other staff in the same field, I've come to learn that by applying for work under a network that directly manages (meaning, a childcare centre that comes under a similar network, or franchise), it is much more cost effective, and therefore less expensive, and more consistent in terms of the areas/centres where casual work is concerned.

However, the complication lies whereby when an agency sends in a temporary/contractor to a centre (or their clients), and if the centre would like to offer employment, whether directly/indirectly or through a third-party, the client is still liable to pay a "commission" to the agency.

This would be good in a situation should the contractor were looking for a permanent position, however, for most of us, may have other priorities in hand, and a permanent full time/ permanent part time may be the last thing for our mind, and I seriously believe that no centre will pay a hefty fee for a contractor who is looking at working only for casual hours.  

Where a pool of childcare staff is available through in a joint venture agreement or arrangement, it is much more cost effective by way of where the Management does not have to pay apart from the award + loading/penalty fees, they do not have to pay further outsourcing fees, hence making it cheaper for the centres.  Correct me if I am wrong, but that is at least what I am aware of.

Casual Relief work is good, however, I would like to have a bit more familiarity with the centres I would work at. It would look better on my resume in the long term nonetheless, not to mention better for my mental psyche, as well as the advantage of creating more intimate relationships (hopefully without the politics!) with the children and their families.....

So anyways, I'm now in the midst of checking out the different types joint-venture agreement/arrangment type centres, as well as other Montessori childcare centres, since I am trained in that field. Where do you think the web address of my blog came from then?