What we're doing in early years

What's going on in early years?

Delivering the Early Years Foundation Stage

The work of CWDC's early years team is to make our vision for a graduate-led early years workforce delivering a high quality Early Years Foundation Stage a reality.

This involves making sure that Early Years Professional Status (EYPS) training and assessment is of high quality and that enough candidates are recruited to meet the government's aim for an early years professional (EYP) in every children's centre by 2010 and in every full daycare setting by 2015.

Early Years Professional Status

We will pilot new routes to EYPS for those within and outside of the existing early years workforce. We will put in place a new process for sector endorsement of early years foundation degrees which will continue to be a bridge for practitioners from Level 3 to EYPS. We will continue to promote local networks to support early years professionals and understand their impact on improved quality of provision within private, voluntary and independent early years settings.

• Early Years Professional Status (EYPS)
• Foundation degrees

Nannies

We have undertaken research to better understand the nanny workforce and how we can include them within our early years strategy.

• The composition, needs and aspirations of the nanny workforce in England [PDF - 900 Kb]

Qualifications

We have reviewed the early years and playwork qualifications database and developed a new qualifications list for those delivering the early years foundation stage. We will identify transition routes for those practitioners with qualifications that are not on the new list. We will advise government about an action plan to increase the proportion of the early years workforce with a full and appropriate Level 3 qualification.

• Qualifications List for those delivering the Early Years Foundation Stage

Training needs

We will also undertake research about the training needs of leaders and managers to ensure the sustainability of early years settings.

We will do all this in partnership at a national level with:

• Training and Development Agency for Schools (TDA)
• National College of School Leadership (NCSL)
• National Strategies
• National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA)
• Natioinal Childminders Association (NCMA)
• Pre-School Learning Alliance (PLA) and others.

And at local level with and through local authorities, training providers and practitioners.