Children’s Care and specialist education Corporate Services recruitment for providers dedicated to the nurseries and early years, fostering, specialist education and SEND, and children’s residential care markets.
How much are children’s care and specialist education leaders paid in 2026?
Children’s Care and Specialist Education recruitment at Compass Associates.
The team have dedicated children’s recruitment professionals supporting the Early Years including Nurseries, K12, specialist education, residential children’s services, and fostering sub-sectors, placing talented managers into these businesses. This year the team launched its first salary guide addressing the levels of pay in the children’s care sector for skilled managers across all associated sub-sectors.
If you are considering a move in the space and want to know how much you should be paid or perhaps are looking to recruit talent into your organisation, get the latest salary data by accessing the reports in the links below.
Good experience with Kane and team at Compass. He was upfront from the start of the process and kept me informed in between interview stages. Found him to be transparent and easy to speak to.
I wanted to take the time to leave a review for a member of the team who I feel has gone above and beyond in trying to find a job for me over the last 6 months, and I would appreciate it if this was recognised and acknowledged by the company. That member of staff is Kane Pfeiffer. Kane is a thoroughly decent man who for the first time in my experience dealing with recruiters, genuinely took the time and effort to understand my wants and needs to try and find a role that was best suited to me. The effort has been greatly appreciated. I would absolutely recommend Kane should any senior leader in healthcare operations be looking to register with compass to seek a new role, he won’t let you down.
Lynette helped me to secure my amazing role at Keys Group and has since supported me to recruit my new clinical team. She is a pleasure to work with and has helped me find some fabulous candidates. Her colleague Ash is also great and my team and I enjoy working with him and all at Compass.
I honestly can’t recommend Ash at Compass Associates enough. He has been brilliant from start to finish in helping me secure my new role.
He kept me informed the whole way through, was always supportive, and made sure I felt properly prepared at every stage. He explained the role clearly, set expectations, and just made the whole process feel a lot less stressful.
What stood out most is how much he genuinely backed me. I always felt like he was on my side and really advocating for me.
A genuinely great experience and I’m very grateful for all his help. Five stars, completely deserved.
I highly recommend Kane to anyone looking for a recruiter who is personable and truly acts as a partner in their career search. Throughout our time working together, Kane was transparent and honest, ensuring I had a clear understanding of both opportunities.
His proactive communication and feedback during the interview process ensured I was successful in obtaining a new role. If you want a recruiter who provides exceptional support and genuine advocacy, Kane is the person to call.
Kane supported me through my recruitment into a Director of Operations role in community health services, and I couldn’t recommend him more highly.
From the outset, Kane maintained consistent, proactive communication — checking in every few days and never going more than a week without contact. This made what can be a stressful process feel genuinely manageable, and I always felt informed and valued rather than left wondering what was happening next.
Kane took the time to really understand my background and career goals, and the role he put forward was a strong match for both my skill set and my career direction. It didn’t feel like a speculative submission — it felt considered and well-targeted. Throughout the process he was straightforward and reliable; if he said he would look into something or come back to me, he always did — without exception. That consistency built real trust and meant I could take what he told me at face value.
Kane provided solid support at each stage of the interview process, helping me feel prepared and confident, which made a real difference particularly as I was navigating a move from the NHS into the independent sector. He was also a skilled mediator during contract negotiations, handling what can be a delicate stage with real professionalism.
What set Kane apart was that his support didn’t stop at the offer stage. He took the time to check in once I’d started, asking how I was settling in and whether there was anything further he could do to help with the transition. That kind of ongoing care is genuinely appreciated.
I would have no hesitation in recommending Kane to anyone seeking a recruiter who combines professionalism with a personal, human approach.
Compass Associates were exclusively mandated in sourcing a Managing Director of Childcare & Operations for a well-established independent nursery group.
