Leicestershire Early
Years Professional Network
Professionals you can trust in
making a difference to children’s lives
Here to stay
The Journey continues
Quality
Empowering
Next steps
Early Years Professionals
Contents
Aims
Good practice
Leaders
1. Early Years Professionals equipped to meet the childcare challenge 2. Early Years Professional
are here to stay
3. Aims of the Leicestershire Early Years
Professional Network 4. How the network is
achieving its aims 5. Further information
and contacts
Early Years Professionals equipped to meet the childcare challenge
The respect and trust which parents place upon those who care for their youngest
children is based upon the quality of care and experiences provided for those children. Early Years Professionals (EYP’s) are front line practitioners who change, shape and improve practice, increasing the quality of experience and raising outcomes for each and every individual child.
Early Years Professionals give leadership and support to their own teams and to others through peer and mentoring support or in multi agency working.
The status of those working with, and caring for, our young children, be it in a home based environment, with a Childminder, or away from home in a day nursery, pre school, crèche or children’s centre has changed considerably in recent years.
Leaders
Commitment
Good practice
Excellence
Growing numbers of Graduate Early Years Professionals are leading the way locally and nationally as ‘change agents’ in meeting the challenge of raising the quality and outcomes for the children in their care across all the different types and size of
childcare settings chosen by parents.
In Leicestershire our Early Years Professionals have proven their ability to meet the stringent 39 National Standards set by the Children’s Workforce Development Council. Ensuring that they can excel in providing the best possible outcomes for each and every
child within an early years childcare setting, in meeting the mandatory Early Years Foundation Stage framework. Demonstration of their
knowledge and understanding as a leader in a childcare setting has been built upon their
extensive experience and practice in a complex and
challenging role, requiring vision, resilience, determination and commitment. Most of all they have a passion for what they do and can be relied upon to meet and understand the needs of every child in their care.
Early Years Professionals are here to stay
The government has invested
unprecedented funding to support those committed and able to become Early Years Professionals and to give continuing
support for the ongoing professional development of these Early Years
Professionals through local and national networks. By 2015 every full daycare setting should have leadership from at least one Early Years Professional (by 2010 for every Children’s Centre with early years provision, and two in settings serving the most deprived areas by 2015).
In Leicestershire all Early Years
Professionals become members of the local network when they gain EYP status which enables them as a professional group to further develop and share good practice across Leicestershire with the ongoing support of the local authority. Becoming a graduate EYP is not the end of a learning journey, but the beginning of working with a community of early years professionals widening their horizons and opening up new opportunities.
Aims of Leicestershire Early Years Professional Network
The expectation is to develop and maintain a self sustaining network of support and professional
development for all Leicestershire Early Years Professionals (EYP’s), in meeting the Children’s
Workforce Development Council and Leicestershire Local Authority aims of:
Developing their lead •
practitioner role to deliver change, improve the quality of their setting and achieve improved outcomes for children
To work across settings to •
address quality improvement beyond their own setting through endorsement by the Local
Authority
To identify and measure the •
impact EYP’s are making locally and to communicate it
effectively both locally and nationally
To contribute to the development •
of the EYPS programme locally and nationally to reinforce the professional identity for Early Years Professional Status
The role of network members
To provide peer support and a •
vehicle for self reflection To promote success through •
evidence of improved quality outcomes for children by
implementing EYP practice and standards in their own settings
To share good practice and •
actions to promote quality
improvement within and across other settings
To engage with targeted needs •
led training, which would guide continuous professional and personal development
Representation of EYP’s at local, •
regional and national events.
Aims
Leadership
training to provide it with support and development regarding new initiatives which Leicestershire EYP’s are taking a leading role in. Opportunity to gain further post graduate academic credit through the first EYP specific ‘Graduate Certificate in Early Years Continuing Professional Development’ is available.
Meeting identified local needs
Working closely with the Local Authority and its Early Years Consultants, the network is able to identify common pieces of priority work which are required across Leicestershire and develop action plans for joint working.
The network is also included in consultation and planning regarding the range of Workforce Development support and impact provided by the local authority.
How the network is achieving its aims Partnerships
Local and regional partnerships have been established with uni-versities and training providers to ensure access to research, resources and events. These are accessed through regular training events and debates, supported further through uni-versity library access and on-line forums.
Close working relationships are currently in place with University of Northampton, University of Derby, Education Management Direct and Pen Green. Regular meetings with our neighbouring local authorities enable a free flow of information and opportu-nities for network collaboration.
Continuing Professional Development
In addition to accessing confer-ences, lectures and training offered by our partners, the net-work organises its own biennial lectures on issues pertinent to Leicestershire’s identified needs, and commissions further
Supporting and sharing with others
EYP’s take great pride in their achievement and sharing success, particularly through recognition by their peers. Project implemen-tation helps promote the qual-ity of practice within the EYP’s own workplace, but sharing more widely, raises the practice and aspirations of others and the status of the sector as a whole. Through network meetings, EYP’s share success and debate problems which need to be overcome. All EYP’s are different and can contribute differently to the network,
supporting and mentoring new or potential EYP’s, cascading training, organising or writing up events or participating in
conferences or information events. The opportunity to visit other settings, to attend national conferences or training events, give the opportunity to receive new information but also provide input of their own knowledge, experiences and models of good practice to a wider audience.
Evidence of impact
Case studies are used to show the changes in outcomes achieved in settings over periods of time. Much initial evidence may be anecdotal, but both qualative and quantative evidence are necessarily measured against newly developing local quality standards.
Funding
The network is supported through a significant financial allocation from the Graduate Leader Fund to enable all EYP’s to take time away from their setting in order to undertake continuing professional development through network approved training, research, con-ferences or lectures. Attendance at network meetings and sharing or supporting other settings toward EYPS or raising quality standards is also funded. Precise details of funding available are notified to the network membership.
Further information and contacts
Locally
Leicestershire EYP
Case study and information website www.leics.gov.uk/EYP
Funding for early years settings and individuals progressing toward EYP status - www.leics.gov.uk/glf
Leicestershire Early Learning and Childcare Service Workforce Development Telephone Helpline - 0116 305 6555
General information - www.leics.gov.uk/earlylearning
Nationally
Department for Children Schools & families www.everychildmatters.gov.uk/earlyyearsworkforce Children’s Workforce Development Council
www.cwdcouncil.org.uk/eyps
Full and relevant qualifications list http://qualificationslist.cwdcouncil.org.uk
