What does Early Years Professional Status mean for Childminders?

NCMA Network Coordinators’ Seminar

24th January 2007

Prof. Denise Hevey

Context of Every Child Matters

Children Act 2004

• Focus on safeguarding, better integration of services and better information sharing (e.g. CAF, ISA, Children’s Trusts, Directors of Children’s Services, workforce reform)

Childcare Act 2006

• Abolishes distinction between care and education for under fives; creates new Early Years Foundation Stage from 0-5; reformulates Ofsted regulation (compulsory for under 8s daycare and 8-14 re: extended schools – optional for others)

Children’s Centres as Flagships

Parenting

FamilySupportGroups

SocialWork

HealthPromotion

Child Health Clinics

GP & Family Health

Services

EducationalPsychologist

SpecialistAssessment

Speech &

Language

EmploymentServices

Adult Basic Skills

Adult Ed.

Educare

On Site Services Off Site Services

Childminder Network

Homestart

Portage

Sitter Services

Health Visitors

Sure Start Outreach

Home-Carers Network

Higher Level Early Years Roles

• Senior Practitioner (level 5) Sure Start endorsed EY Foundation Degree

• NPQICL (level 7) 3,500 Children’s Centre leader/ managers

• EY Professional Status (level 6)

‘lead practice in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), support and mentor other practitioners and model the skills and behaviours that safeguard and promote good outcomes for children’

Government Targets

• EYP in all Children’s Centres by 2010

• EYP in every day care setting by 2015

• All workers in full day care qualified at level 3

• All supervisors in sessional care, out of school care etc qualified at level 3

• Responsibility of Children’s Workforce Development Council

In future only those with EYP status will be able to lead practice in the new Early Years Foundation Stage

Transformation Fund - £250m

• Major part administered by Local Authorities

• For private, voluntary and independent sector

• Recruitment incentive of £3,000 (per setting per annum) to employ graduate

• Quality premium of £5,000 to support staff development

• Graduates to be qualified EYPs within two years

How might this apply to Childminding Networks?

Early Years Professional Standards

• Knowledge and understanding

• Effective practice

• Relationships with children

• Communicating and working in partnership with families and carers

• Teamwork and collaboration

• Professional development

Eligibility Requirements for EYP

1. Physical and mental fitness

2. CRB check – fit person

3. ECS Hons or ‘an equivalent qualification’ or Foundation Degree + 60 credits (certificated)

4. GCSE English and Maths (grade C or above)

5. Effective written and oral communication in English

Alternative Routes to EYP status

1. Validation (assessment only) pathway (3 months)

Candidates from all pathways must complete validation process. All routes are FREE

2. EPD Short Pathway (3 months p/t plus validation)‘birth to 3’ and/or ‘lead and support’

3. EPD Long Pathway (12 months p/t plus validation)‘Top-up’ of 60 credits for existing FD holders

4. Full Training Pathway (12 months f/t including validation) similar to PGCE

Support available to childminders

• Course fees paid

• Mentor support provided

• Supply cover (see below)

Validation Short Long Full

(Bursary)

£500 £1,000 £4,000 £5,000

University of Northampton & EYPS

• One of 10 nationally selected pilot sites

• Steering Group involves Local Authorities from across East Midlands

• Approved Provider Status for all four pathways to EYPS from Jan 2007

• Training offered in both Northampton and Nottingham (except for full-time pathway)

EYPS Validation Stage 1

Initial diagnostic assessment (Formative)

• In-tray exercise

• Group discussion

• Role play using actors

• Personal interview

Challenge for childminders: scenarios are all nursery-based

EYPS Validation Stage 2.

Evidence generated from work-based tasks

3 examples of how you lead and support others (across age range)

2 examples of critical incidents (think on your feet)

3-5 additional examples of own practice

Supported by portfolio of work-based evidence

Challenge for childminders: leadership and support when can’t use parents

EYPS Validation Stage 3

A full day’s work-place assessment visit

• Scrutiny of written tasks and evidence file

• Structured tour of the setting

• Interviews with line-manager and other staff

• Personal interview in relation to the standards

Challenge for childminders: (a) This is my home! (b) Who can act as witnesses?

A Strategic Approach

• Support pioneers: show childminders can do it

• Promote progression: from level 3 to Foundation Degree (local or OU distance learning)

• Capacity building: encourage Network Coordinators to gain EYP Status so you can mentor and assess others

• Lobby: for more childminder-friendly assessment

Challenge for Network Coordinators: how to demonstrate own effective practice

The impact of Childminder Networks

• 46% of network childminders had level 3 childcare and 5% relevant HE qualification

• 22% working towards level 3

• Valued support from co-ordinator

• Improved links with other agencies

‘Professionalism featured strongly for the survey childminders, not just in terms of their own practice but also in the sense of belonging to a wider professional grouping’ (Owen, 2005)

My vision for the future

• Every Children’s Centre as a base for a Childminder Network

• Every Children’s Centre providing training and support and drop-in groups for childminders

• All childminders expected to achieve level 3 within 3 years of registration

• Progression to Foundation Degree the norm for career childminders

• Babies under 18 months placed with well-qualified childminders in preference to Children Centre

My Vision for the Future• Childminders with EYPS salaried through the

Children’s Centres

• EYPS childminders as training placements for care of babies

• More flexibility and interchange of roles – some childminders work part-time in the Centres

• Childminders with EYPS provide peripatetic home-carer services (esp. for special needs).

• Network co-ordinators all work towards EYPS

Childminding in the 1990s

• Childminders define themselves as professional childcare workers but see less need for training and qualifications

• Substantial minority see childminding as long term career

• Although working conditions are poor, childminders record high levels of satisfaction and commitment

Conclusion: childminding unacceptable, exploitative and unlikely to be sustainable in future

(Moss et al. 2001 Questionnaire survey of 1050 childminders)

It’s time to raise your game

and define the future

For further information on EYPS go to

www.cwdcouncil.org.uk

For application pack email

eypsadministrator@northampton.ac.uk